


Irrational Feelings

by gatekat



Category: Biker Mice From Mars
Genre: Anthropomorphic, Bigotry & Prejudice, Dark, Furry, Haloeth, M/M, Master/Slave (Non-Consensual), Slavery, There's Het Too
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2002-08-31
Updated: 2002-08-31
Packaged: 2019-02-17 09:24:35
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 13
Words: 70,843
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13073940
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gatekat/pseuds/gatekat
Summary: CO written with Todd McCall and VorexWhen Modo crash lands on a world while searching for Throttle and Vinnie he finds himself surounded by kin he didn't know existed.





	1. Prolog

Like a blazing star the crippled scoutship fell from orbit, beginning to break up as it plunged through the atmosphere. Fishing in the sea below, a group of Martian Loup Maru saw the ship burn up and then crash into the ocean. They also saw the pod fire from the side of the dying ship, its parachute deploying after it cleared the ship, and drop into the sea not far offshore.

"Not possible." A large tan and cream female stared at the descending craft. "She's one of ours."

"Let the bastard drown." A pitch black male, small and lithe, spat.

"Might be kin." The third member of the canoe crew pointed out. "Two tribes and a half dozen families staid on Mars."

"We can always kill it later." The big female decided, ending the discussion as they began to paddle to the escape pod's landing site.

* * *

"Hello, stranger." A soft female voice greeted the soaked Mouse as he came around.

"Oh, mama. What a headache." Modo said before he opened his natural eye. "Hello." He said politely, since his mama hadn't raised a rude Mouse. The female clearly a Martian like him, smiled gently down with solid black eyes.

"I can give you a drink for that headache," the voluptuously plump light tan Loup Maru offered gently.

"That'd be appreciated, ma'am." Modo said politely, slightly in shock at seeing a Martian he didn't recognize. He couldn't remember the last time that had happened.

"Do you have a name, stranger?" She asked as she picked up a palm-sized bowl and filled it with water and some powder.

"Yes, I'm Modo, ma'am." He said, his mind trying to work out where this Loup Maru could be from.

"I'm Summer's Green." The matronly female turned back to help him drink. "Your mother named you well, I think." She smiled. "She certainly taught you manners."

"Poor manners didn't sit well with Mama." Modo said, as he drank. "Thank you, ma'am." He said as he finished the drink. "Where am I? If you don't mind me asking."

"I don't mind any questions, Modo." She smiled gently at him and set the bowl down. "I'm sure you'll have many. This world is called Ryzzina, you are in the village of Windcrest Green."

"Don't remember that world on the maps." He said quietly. "I'm not seeing things am I?" He asked hesitantly. "You really are a Martian aren't you?" The tone of his voice was that of one who wanted to believe but had too many reasons not to.

"You are not seeing things, Modo." She smiled gently and brushed the fur of his forehead with a wet cloth. "We left Mars to colonize a new home six generations ago."

"Six generations? Then you don't know." He said quietly, the old pain coming up again.

"Of the war." She said softly. "That our world has been stripped bare. We know. We saw it coming. We believed the prophecies and Seers, and we found a new home. Now it has come to pass, and soon it will be time to return and rebuild."

"Not much to build on." He said, the pain intensifying. "Nothing green left on Mars. And there's more Mice here I bet, than on all of Mars."

Summer's Green rested a gentle, firm hand on his chest, over his heart with fingers spread and met his eyes squarely. "We know Modo. We are prepared."

"That's good." He said quietly. "Be good to see things turn around. How'd I get here? Last thing I remember the Plutarkians were pounding the hell out of my ship."

"You used an escape pod, fell into the sea nearby. One of the fishing parties saw and pulled you out of the water." She smiled gently at him. "Your ship disintegrated before impact."

"My thanks to that fishing party." Modo said easily. "Guess that puts an end to my search though." He sighed deeply.

"Search for what, Modo?" She asked gently.

"My Bros." He said sadly, as the pain of missing them washed over him again.

"They were on the ship?"

"No, I was using the ship to look for them." He said softly. "We got separated years ago, and I've been looking for them ever since."

"Then there is still hope." She smiled gently and patted his furred shoulder. "I will have a couple of kits bring you a proper meal soon. It is important that you eat and drink. I can tell your body is not used to the heat here. It is very easy to become badly sick without enough water."

"Thank you, ma'am. No, Mars isn't this warm, Earth wasn't either." He said quietly, feeling a bit tired. "I really appreciate what you've done for me."

"Six generations here have taught us that not every outsider is a threat." She smiled and patted his shoulder. "You rest, we can sort out details later."

"Yes, ma'am." Modo said quietly, relaxing. Part of his mind wondered why these Mice had left Mars, but so far they'd treated him good so he didn't worry about it. It just felt good to back among a community of Martians after so long.

"Hello, Modo." A fairly petite male Loup Maru in his late teens greeted the muscular gray mouse a little while later. "I'm Thildon. Feel up to eating something light, sweet and watery?"

"Sounds good, thank you." He said with a friendly smile as the reddish-brown warrior pulled a stool over with his tail and sat down.

"Healer Summer's Green said you should get as much liquid as possible," Thildon said by way of explanation of the meal. "The orange fruit is particularly tasty in my opinion." He added as he held the tray of sliced fruit where the visitor could reach it easily from the hammock.

"Thanks, Thildon." He said as he took a bite of the orange fruit. "You're right, this is good." He smiled taking another, followed by a drink of the deep blue liquid.

"Up for talking a little, Modo?" He asked, clearly curious.

"Sure, if you don't mind my eating while we talk." He said with an encouraging smile.

"Summer's Green would skin me alive if I stopped you from eating with my chatter." Thildon grinned, his youth and lack of war-experience showing. "Were you really born on Mars?"

"Yep, back before the war when Mars was still green and alive." He said remembering the all too brief good days before the war. He nibbled quietly trying one of the other colors of fruit.

"Way cool." He grinned. "It's been a long time since we had any news, outside of what the Seers say, at least. Oh, and feel free to ask me questions too. I don't know as much about everything as Summer's Green, but I'm a full warrior."

"How big a community is this?" Modo asked curiously. "I haven't been around more than two or three other Mice in a long time."

"Windcrest Green has a standing population of sixty-two Loup Maru." Thildon smiled gently. "I think all the islands combined have close to seven thousand. There aren't any Mice in the colonies, I'm afraid."

"Wow." Modo said quietly, seriously stunned. "I was right, there's more folks here than on Mars." He took a sip from the bowl. "Good place to crash, given that not crashing wasn't possible."

"I think so," Thildon smiled.

Modo moved his metal arm and felt a strange, but familiar sensation. "Thildon, do you happen to know if I was in the water when the fishing party found me?" He asked not sure if fishing party meant boats or people on shore.

"You were pulled out of the water." He said curiously. "The arm's not watertight?"

"Wish it was." Modo said quietly. "Probably take a week for the water to dry out. Fortunately most of the circuits aren't damaged by water, it just plays with some the motors. Kind of like a real bad overextension, it'll ache a lot till it dries."

"Starcrossed might be able to do something about it." Thildon offered uncertainly. "She's got a lot of Gifts for technology."

"That'd be great, if she could." Modo said as he continued nibbling. "Nutcase who gave me it, didn't think to make it watertight."

"You didn't want it?" Thildon regarded the big gray mouse curiously.

"No, I didn't want a perfectly good arm cut off and replaced with this." He said with a low growl. "Sorry, Thildon. I'm still a bit touchy about it." He said, apologizing.

"It's okay, Modo." The reddish mouse smiled and squeezed Modo's shoulder with his tail. "We have cybernetics. I didn't think it was involuntary. That sucks, and not in a good way."

That comment drew a grin out of the big gray mouse. "If you got someone who knows cybernetics I probably should have them look at this if they will. I don't know if these things are supposed to be serviced by expert regularly or what. I've been kind of doing self maintenance since I got it."

"That would be Starcrossed," Thildon grinned back. "Maybe she can see about making it look a bit better too, and see to your eyes."

"That'd be too much to hope for." Modo murmured, though he clearly liked the idea. "So, is there work around here for a pair of willing hands?" He asked, as he started thinking long term.

"Always," Thildon grinned and moved the tray a little closer. "Don't forget to eat, Modo. Hunting, fishing, tending to kits and the food plants, keeping the village in order ... there is always more work to be done. Does anything sound interesting?"

"Fishing and Hunting I both know." He said easily. "Though I always fished from shore. Hunting I enjoy, while fishing I always did for relaxation."

"Well, we'll see about getting you on a fishing party when Summer's Green says you're good to go." Thildon smiled. "I doubt you'll be hunting though."

"Oh, why's that?" He asked curiously, nibbling at the fruit in-between.

"Hunting is a warrior's job." Thildon said simply.

"Look, Thildon. I've been a soldier and a commando since I was fifteen. Spent my whole life fighting to try to protect my world, and then to protect another one. I'll match my fighting skills against anyone's." He said determinedly. "I was still hunting on Mars, after the devastation when game was truly scarce and food short, and I was good."

Thildon put a firm, relaxed hand on the big mouse's shoulder. "Calm down, Modo. I wasn't trying to say you couldn't or weren't. If you want to be acknowledged as a warrior, that can be done. But for now you don't have that status. We don't have such lean times that the order of things is broken for survival's sake."

"Sorry, just been a long time since I had to prove myself. Especially since I've never been anything but a warrior." He said softly. "And I do want to be, it's who I am."

"Then we will talk to the chief and elders when you are fit and the healers let you loose."

"Thanks, Thildon." Modo smiled, as he finished the bowl of blue liquid.

"I should warn you though, it will not be an easy path to gain warrior status." He said gently. "I will teach you our ways, if you would like. It might make understanding how the day-to-day things work. I expect some of it will seem very strange to you."

"Nothing worth doing is ever easy." Modo said simply. "And I'd appreciate that."

"Umm, is there anything you're curious about?" Thildon said uncertainly. "I'm not a teacher, but I'll try."

Modo smiled. "Probably if I knew where the differences were I'd know what to ask. What's the most important?"

"Umm, rank means a lot." Thildon thought back to his earliest lessons, the ones that were all but instinct now. "We aren't very formal, but it and blood are what tie us together, keep things calm and ordered. As an unestablished visitor, you hold the lowest rank. You need to obey nearly everyone, and stay clear of the kits unless specifically invited by the adult watching them."

"Low mouse on the totem pole, got it. And the bit about the kits makes sense." Modo nodded. "And just how far does that obey go?" He asked curiously.

"You aren't a slave." Thildon said firmly. "Your body is your own, and no one can order you to hurt yourself or another. Only the chief can order you to leave the village itself, but any adult can order you to leave where you are. You can ask why. It is very much like the rules for kits, really."

"Okay, that's reasonable." Modo said releasing the tension he hadn't even realized was there. "If I get conflicting orders from two people, do I go with the last orders or the orders from the higher ranking person? And how do I identify these ranks?" He asked, putting on his military mindset.

"That's kind of a common sense one. You generally want to go with the highest rank, but if the new one makes sense, go with it. Just explain the conflict with the one giving it. We're reasonable and all, but we don't get many visitors." Thildon explained. "As for telling rank, you just have to remember, really. Most warriors were loincloths like me, and most non-warriors wear dresses ... you'll be introduced to the few with real rank. Summer's Green outranks _everyone_."

"Okay, it's all pretty common sense so far." Modo nodded, and then chuckled softly. "And I'm glad you said 'most', cause there ain't no way I'm putting on a dress." He smiled, clearly amused. "So far, none of this what I'd call strange."

Thildon chuckled. "You'd look very good in the kind Meesha likes, but you can wear nearly anything you want."

"If you say so." Modo chuckled. "But my gray furred mama didn't raise her son to wear a dress."

Thildon raised an eyebrow at that. "Well, I think we just found a cultural difference you'll find weird. Why wouldn't she want you to wear a dress?"

"I don't know." Moto shrugged. "Guys just don't."

"Well, it's normal here. It's just a kind of clothing."

"I suppose, just not one I'd wear. Though if that's the weirdest things get, that'll be good." He smiled, though the absorb image of himself in some fancy evening gown just wouldn't get out of his head.

"Well, I don't know what you're used to, so it's hard to guess." Thildon shrugged. "Do you have a mate back home?"

"Nope, never found the right person." He said quietly. "Thought I might have on Earth, but then me and my Bros got scattered to the stars."

"At least it's not kits and mate to wonder if you are dead." Thildon said softly, carefully concealing how pleased the answer made him.

"No, thankfully that's not the case." He said quietly. "Just my Bros out there somewhere."

"While there is life, there is hope to finding them." Thildon said softy. "I'm sure you'll find them eventually."

"Anything's possible." Modo smiled softly. "But if my search is going to pause for awhile, this seems like a good place. It's good to be back among Mice again." He said warmly.

"I bet." He laid a gentle hand on Modo's shoulder. "You're among good people now. You're welcome for as long as you want to stay."

"Thank you." Moto smiled gratefully.

"Umm, how do you feel about same-gender mates?" Thildon asked quietly.

Modo smiled gently. "That's what my last serious interest was."

The rusty mouse relaxed. "Good. There are quite a few here. Both traditional warrior/ keeper pairings and warrior/ warrior, keeper/ keeper."

"That's good to know." Modo nodded. "Was kind of curious, but didn't want to ask right away." He smirked. "I thought it might me look like I was a little obsessed with the subject."

"Possibly, though that's hardly a bad thing." Thildon chuckled and relaxed back. "Sex is definitely a major form of recreation around here."

"That's a plus." Modo grinned.

"Glad you think so." He grinned back. "I expect you'll get a fair amount of attention."

"That'll be a change." Modo chuckled. "But then I don't got pretty boy soaking up the attention." He smiled, though there was an edge of sadness to it.

"Sounds like folks didn't know how to appreciate a good catch when they see it then." Thildon grinned. "You've got a hell of a body."

Modo smiled, though he was a bit surprised by the unexpected compliment. "Thanks. You're rather attractive yourself."

"Thank you." he smiled back. "It's sad you don't think yourself attractive, Modo." He said softly.

Modo shrugged. "I just hung around with two guys who were really attractive, and didn't have this." He looked at the metal arm. "Except for Jeremy, people didn't tend to notice me that way."

"Your _arm_ was a problem?" Thildon was truly shocked. "I'm not even going to try to understand that one." He shook his head.

"Always figured it was 'cause people didn't wanna get hung with the second cousin to a crowbar." He chuckled weakly. "And people tend to be uncomfortable around those with deformities."

"That is _not_ a deformity." Thildon's tail lashed sharply before he controlled it. "I'm sorry you had the misfortune of being with such people." He shook his head and calmed down. "It's not a deformity here, Modo. It's just your arm."

Modo smiled, as he took a second look at the serious young mouse. "Thanks, Thildon. Guess part of the problem is that I'm not entirely comfortable with it." He said quietly.

"Because it wasn't your choice." He said as much as asked, his voice soft.

"Yeah, that's probably it." He said softly. "It's like part of me never made it out of the lab."

"If you're with us long, Starcrossed can probably work up something more natural looking, let it look like you want, at least." He sat down and put a hand on Modo's shoulder. "We can't get your arm back, but we can give you the ability to choose it this time."

Modo smiled. "I have this feeling I'm going to be here awhile." He paused slightly. "And it feels like a good thing."

"I'm glad to hear that, and I _know_ some of the others will be too." His smile faded. "There are those that will take some work to win over though. A lot of us were lost in the war, and not everyone has forgiven it. Until you're part of the village, it's a painful reminder."

"I know." Modo said quietly. "Sometimes I've thought that the Plutarkian invasion was a punishment for that hatred and the deaths it caused." There was a distinctly sad note to his voice.

"That they won is a result of it." Thildon said with quiet certainty. "I don't think the invasion itself was though."

"Maybe not." Modo said quietly. "Never could stand that ignorant hatred myself. Not exactly a popular opinion to hold." He chuckled weakly.

"No, but that outlook will keep you alive and eventually accepted here." Thildon smiled.

Modo chuckled slightly. "That's a switch. Dad always said it would get me killed one day. He didn't actually disagree, just thought I was a bit too tactless about it."

"Still might, but you'll have a home and family for it."

"Getting killed for home and family is something I accepted a long time ago." Modo said easily. "Every soldier does."

Thildon nodded. "Every warrior too." He hesitated. "Is any of your family alive?"

"Only one who might be is my nephew, Rimfire." Modo said quietly. "I hope he is."

"Do you know if he's as reasonable as you?"

"Yeah, he's been brought up right. Wasn't time during the war to keep hyping that nonsense, so the kits got spared a lot of the propaganda." He said with a fond smile, remembering the good times.

"Any other reasonable folks you know?" Thildon asked quietly. "We do intend to end that war when we return. The more who will join us in the rebuilding, the better."

"I don't know who's left really. Our contact with Mars has been spotty." He said quietly. "Wish Throttle was here, he's the most reasonable mouse I know, and a good leader too. And my Bro."

"Have you felt him pass on?" Thildon asked gently.

"No, can't say I have." Throttle said quietly. He was a little skeptical about a lot of the afterlife stuff. Especially the part about the spirit needing to be Remembered to move on, it seemed awfully cruel to condemn the spirits of the last of the race to die to being trapped for eternity.

"Then there is good hope," Thildon said with absolute confidence. "As close as you are, you would feel it."

"Yeah, you're probably right. 'Sides, Throttle's a survivor. He got us through prison, the camps and the lab. He'll probably find me." He chuckled softly feeling a little better about things.

"Could well be, which makes staying put make even more sense." Thildon patted his shoulder. "I think you'll like it here."

"I think so too." Modo smiled.


	2. Meat Market Finds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When the universe drop-kicks Throttle and Vinnie onto a new planet, they find out very quickly that it is not one they are going to have an easy time dealing with.

"And next up, a true exotic." The fat wolfish announcer called to the large crowd gathered at his wooden platform in the open-air market. "Fresh from the crash zone, two alien mice. Both male, very fit, well endowed, untrained and fiery! Previously warriors, now up to the highest bidder! Starting at 20,000 for the pair."

Bound, blinded and drugged neither of the mice on show could do much more than keep themselves upright as they were paraded across the platform for the crowd. Several voices called out to SlaveMaster as they got a better look, the price soaring rapidly.

One voice however was especially persistent, usually doubling whatever the previous bid had been. It was male, strong and more business-like than the others, and rapidly won the contest. The surprise at his final sum was evident in several voices.

"Five mill, going, going ... Sold to the Royal Palace Harem for five million gold." The SlaveMaster called out, just barely keeping most of the gleeful shock from his voice.

The rest of the crowd was less pleased, though whatever little grumbling there was subsided as the next slaves were led up into view. The Buyer of Slaves for the Harem, a deep chested chestnut Hound, and the Captain of the Palace Guard, a heavyset Midnight Panther, came forward to collect their new property, the last of their purchases for the day. The mice were led to a large, well-cushioned hover-transport with seven others, representing a variety of races and willingness and both genders.

"Those last two might do well enough in the pits," the panther said in his smooth, deep voice. "Make back some of the ridiculous price you paid for them."

"Not a chance in hell, Salum." The Hound grinned. "These two are going directly to Lady Sh'ta and her pet of a lord."

"She's got more balls than he does," the panther curled his lip as he spoke. "And I'm sure the pretty white one will feel them."

"Yes, and it pays to keep her happy and well distracted." Turgrin chuckled deep in his chest as the door was shut on the slave section of the transport. "Least she finds others to her tastes."

"The tan one is a fighter though," Salum insisted. "None of the High will want him with those glasses anyway."

"Well, if you want to get them from Lady Sh'ta, feel free to." The Hound smirked as he got in the back seat of the passenger section of the transport. "I want my balls intact."

Salum laughed as he sat down, sliding the door shut. "Perhaps I'll do just that. After all, she'll just end up giving one of them to that fop."

That made Turgrin laugh, a deep, resonating sound of great humor. "Oh, you have no idea what she gets up to. Haven't you noticed she always claims playthings in set of at least two?"

"I don't keep such an interest in other people's property as you do," the guard captain retorted. "That would be an excellent way to loose more than your balls."

"Except it's my job to know and fill those property desires." The Hound grinned. "But you might get them, Lady Sh'ta is known to enjoy watching her pets fight before taking them for an evening."

Sleek black fur flowed over muscle as the panther shrugged, looking back though the window at the stupefied slaves. "Perhaps. I'll be busy enough with the palace's slaves ... three lost limbs in the last games."

"And at least four in there besides the foreign mice are suitable, as were two from the last batch." Turgrin smiled. "I know to take care of the fighting stables too. I'm sure that big tabby will be more amusing to train."

"Perhaps," the panther allowed. "De-clawing them is a bitch though."

"I still don't get why you do that to the fighters." Turgrin shook his head. "We don't with the pleasure slaves."

"Because those without claws can't be given them," the panther said simply. "Rule of the pits."

"Equal weaponry." The Hound nodded. "And keeping the clawed races separate isn't worth it."

"Hardly," Salum snorted. "Besides, it evens out the betting. Even the palace has to obey those rules."

"True," Turgrin nodded. "And the betting must not be compromised." He chuckled.

"Ask the Lords and Ladies about that one," the panther chuckled. "There's a reason they own fighters."

"Because it's profitable." He smirked. "That and it looks good."

"And some of them don't mind their pets bloodied before they fuck them, of course."

"Or even prefer it." The Hound rumbled. "Though you must admit there is something about the intense sweaty musk generated in there that is immensely fuckable."

"You needn't convince me," Salum said with a grin.

"I'm sure." Turgrin grinned back.

"Still, there's bound to be something worthwhile back there. You do know what you're doing." It was a grudging admission, but one the panther made every time they made this trip.

"And the week I don't, you probably will have a new companion for this run." The Hound nodded solemnly.

"Worry about that another day," Salum said with a shrug. "For now we have fresh meat to deal with."

"That we do," he nodded. "And fine meat befitting the Palace, or it will be, when it's whipped into shape."

* * *

"At least we were expensive," Vinnie moaned softly as the pair of them lay motionless on the soft white carpet somewhere in a huge, well lit and airy building. The words were mangled by the drugs still coursing through his veins, dulling his senses and weighing down his limbs.

"Just means they'll keep a sharper eye on us Bro." Throttle muttered darkly, though he was in little better shape. "At least they didn't take my shades."

"They checked 'em out pretty close." Vinnie tried to sit up, but found the effort too much. "Must'a figured out what they do."

"Never thought I'd be grateful for smart slavers." He growled softly, as much at the situation as his uncooperative body.

"It's no good Bro," Vinnie said softly. "They've drug-fucked us."

"I know." Throttle wished he could close his eyes, cursing his cybernetic implants more than usual. "Least we're not chained."

"Like it'd matter." Vinnie had intended for it to be a chuckle, but it was more like a long gurgle.

"Will if we cane move before they come back." Throttle moaned slightly as he body did something weird he didn't even try to figure out.

"Bro, I couldn't get to the can to piss," Vinnie replied, even as he tried again. "They're not in much danger."

"Depends on how long they're gone." Throttle held on to the slim home determinedly.

"Yeah sure," Vinnie groaned softly and then let his body go lax again. "Maybe after I've had a nap."

* * *

They were still fairly out of it when they heard someone approaching.

"Throttle," if anything Vinnie's voice was less comprehensible than before. "You 'wake?"

"Wish I wasn't." He muttered. "I hear it."

"Good, you're awake." A delicate feminine voice said. "I see he drugged you bad."

Vinnie managed to roll onto his side, moaning with the effort, but then couldn't do anything more. It hard enough just to raise his head to look at the figure as it came closer and knelt next to him.

He felt a small prick on his shoulder, then a second, and the fog began to clear, though slowly, as shi turned to Throttle. Vinnie moaned softly, shaking his head to clear away the last, clinging effects of the drugging before he climbed to his feet. It was only then, with his mental faculties restored, that he realized he and Throttle were both entirely naked, bar for an elaborate gold collar around each of their necks.

"I'm sure you have questions," the small, tan furred Fennec Fox in translucent white silks said as Throttle came around to stare at her. "I am Kaaya, Mistress Sh'ta's Pet Caretaker."

"Yeah," Vinnie muttered. "Questions like 'Where the fuck are our clothes?'"

"That I do not know. You did not arrive with any." Shi inclined her head slightly. "If you are hungry, we can eat while we talk."

"That would be good." Throttle preempted anything his Bro was going to say as he stood up, still a little shaky. Vinnie stepped across to support the other mouse, holding him steady. He offered little more than a nod and a mistrusting look to the newcomer.

"Then settle comfortably on the pillows." Shi nodded to slightly behind where they were standing. "I will bring something light." Shi added before moving off with a comfortable grace intended to show hir off sensually.

Vinnie steered Throttle gently backwards, finding an array of soft pillows arranged in an alcove in the wall. The white mouse sat himself down on them, but he looked anything but comfortable.

"Well, it's getting a little better." Throttle said softly as he took in the large, airy white room with cybernetic vision.

"Yeah, maybe," Vinnie said. "I'd feel a hell of a lot better with some pants."

Throttle glanced at his companion with a critical eye. "Yes, that would be nice, though I've got a good idea why we don't have them."

"I don't think I want to know," the white mouse groused. "I mean, we've had rough times before, but we've only been on this planet for two days."

"Bro ... have you ever been with a male?" Throttle asked softly, not quite looking at his companion.

"Huh?" Vinnie just looked at him blankly, not understanding.

Throttle sighed softly. "Have you ever been fucked in the ass before."

"What? No!" The white mouse was visibly taken aback.

Throttle looked very sorry. "It'll hurt less if you can relax. Like taking a hard shit, the more you squeeze, the more it hurts."

"What the fuck are you talking about Bro?" Vinnie asked loudly, growing more and more agitated as the conversation continued.

"He's giving you very good advice," the Fennec's soft voice answered before Throttle could. Behind hir came two small mice, not much taller than shi was. The dark brown male had a large tray of sliced fruits, cheese and other foods. The tawny female a tray with three glasses and a crystal pitcher with slightly shimmering pink liquid.

"Sure, whatever," Vinnie snorted, clearly not interested in pursuing the matter while the small mice set the trays down between them, and Kaaya settled across from them, on the other side of the trays.

"Shall I start with the rules, or would you like your questions answered first?" Shi offered politely as shi poured a glass for hirself.

"The lecture." Throttle answered for them before turning his attention to filling his own growling belly.

Vinnie didn't reply, more concerned with feeding himself than anything this woman had to say. Now that the numbing effect of the drugs had been cleared out his body was making sure to remind him that he hadn't eaten in almost a day.

The Fennec nodded and relaxed. "You are the pets of Lady Sh'ta. Her property. You will be well cared for, given fine food, a comfortable place to sleep, allowed to stay together and a great deal of freedom. In exchange, you will obey her wishes, and submit to her pleasure."

That was enough to get Vinnie's attention. "You think I'm going to do _what_?"

"Anything she tells you to." Kaaya answered simply, sipping hir drink.

"Like fuck I will," the white mouse replied brazenly.

"Then you will be punished." Shi locked gentle but firm gray eyes with him.

"This is bullshit," the white mouse sneered.

"Vin, chill." Throttle said very softly, though his attention was mostly on the small tan creature with huge ears. "What is she likely to expect of us?"

"To pleasure her and others with you mouth, fingers, bodies." Kaaya inclined hir head and picked up a slice of fruit. "She will almost certainly expect you to perform for her. She finds two strong males together most pleasing."

"Chill?" Vinnie was aghast as he turned to Throttle, not believing that the other mouse could be so calm. "This lunatic wants us to fuck each other."

"And tell me how this is not a hell of a lot better as far as imprisonments go than the Plutarkian camps and Karbunkle?" Throttle looked at his Bro with a mixture of expressions, though resignation was not one of them. "It is hardly the worst either of us have had to do to survive."

"You think? At least Karbunkle never tried to pull a move on me." The very thought was enough to make Vinnie shudder.

Throttle regarded the white mouse curiously. "I wouldn't have thought sex was so sacred to you, that it's worth dieing to avoid."

"I would have thought you'd have a little more backbone," Vinnie retorted. "If she wants a fucktoy she can go buy a plastic one."

"Having a backbone does not require making stupid choices." Throttle said simply. "How far do you think we'd actually get right now?"

"So I'm just supposed to roll over and get screwed? Literally?"

Throttle looked at his Bro with sick calmness. "You have a better _plan_ for surviving long enough to get home?"

Vinnie just set his jaw and glared, first at Throttle and then at the woman who had waited quietly during their argument.

"If you cooperate, this can be an extremely pleasant and pleasurable life." Kaaya smiled at the pair. "Certainly better than the pits, which you are both well suited for."

"Gladiator, or bloodsport?" Throttle asked uneasily, but continued to eat and drink.

"Gladiator," shi nodded. "There are bloodsport pits, but not ones we usually use. It's too costly." Kaaya looked Throttle over. "You've been a pleasure slave before?"

The tawny mouse shivered slightly. "Something like that."

Vinnie's head whipped around towards Throttle, a small startled noise escaping him.

"I told you there are worse things than this, Bro." He looked at the white mouse squarely. "I meant it."

"For now, you are to not leave this apartment without either myself, or Lady Sh'ta." Kaaya said calmly. "You will be trained, but seeing as you have one knowledgeable in the ways of pleasure, I will leave it to him to give the first lessons." Shi stood gracefully. "If you require anything, simply press the small crest by the door." Shi motioned to the red and black eagle head on the wall.

"Don't hold your breath," the white mouse muttered softly as shi left with the same sensual grace.

Throttle just signed and leaned back, looking at his Bro with a mixture of thoughts on his face as the white mouse turned his attention back to what little remained of the food, eating quietly.

"Bro, are you going to make this at all easy on us?" Throttle eventually asked.

"And the easy option is to be raped up the ass by strangers, is that what you're saying?" Vinnie snorted. "I'm sorry that I'm not overjoyed at the thought."

"Not quite, Bro." Throttle sighed. "The easy option is to learn how to take some pleasure from the act. Eventually, there will be an opening to get out."

"And in the meantime I get to play fucktoy. Again, not overjoyed."

"No reason to be, Bro." Throttle regarded him. "The bottom line is this can hurt like hell, or be at least tolerably pleasant. Your choice for you, but I'm taking the easy one. I've taken enough beatings for six lifetimes already. Sex isn't worth another, and they're just going to fuck us anyway."

Vinnie shook his head, getting up off the pile of cushions. "I can't believe you can be so calm about this," he fumed.

"You spend a year and a half a prisoner of a psychopathic sadist of a girlfriend, and this'll seem reasonable to you too." Throttle said simply.

"It doesn't seem reasonable," Vinnie retorted, then softened slightly. "Look, I'm sorry about ... whatever happened. That doesn't mean I want it to happen to me too."

"These folks are a lot more reasonable already, Bro." Throttle shook his head. "But unless you can see a way out I don't, we're going to have to roll with it, same as the prison. Cooperate to a point, and it goes easier. You know that one, Bro. I saw you do it often enough, same as all of us."

"To a point, fine," Vinnie agreed, calming down a bit. "But no-one was fine with having bits cut out of us because we were biding our time, and I'm not fine with this. It's not going to happen."

"Bro, you come up with a way out, I'm game." Throttle started at his companion. "But this is a long way from getting parts cut out, and it's not worth dieing or taking a beating over for me. I don't want this to be as hard on you as it was for me."

"So let's find a way," Vinnie suggested. "Instead of lying around praising the virtues of getting butt-fucked."

Throttle raised his hand and motioned around. "There are force shields on the windows, motion and heat sensors all over the place. Half of what you're seeing is a hologram to make it look pretty, and if they aren't watching and listening to us, they can, because the entire room is wired for sound and video."

"There's a way," Vinnie insisted. "There always is."

"Of course there is." Throttle shrugged and rolled to his feet. "It's just not from _here_. What is the big deal with you anyway? It's just sex."

"No, it's rape," Vinnie replied bluntly. "I'm not interested in any of these losers. I'm not even interested in being interested in them. I'm definitely not in a hurry to have anyone stick things up inside me."

Throttle could only shrug and made a more detailed tour of the room and it's grand marble attached bathroom with pool-tub and spectacular view.

"You think they'd let us go it I used that call-button thingie and asked?" Vinnie asked facetiously as he conducted his own search.

"No, but you can try if you want to risk it." Throttle shrugged. "It's very nice as far as prisons go."

"Better than some places I could mention," Vinnie admitted, studding the door carefully. "At least for the moment."

Throttle didn't answer, slipping into the warm water to clean himself of the grime of two days and their crash. The white mouse settled back down on the cushions, looking regretfully at the remaining crumbs that littered the plates. He reached up under his chin finding, as expected, that he was wearing a collar like the one he could see on Throttle. At least he assumed it was the same, without a mirror it was impossible to say for sure.

"You might as well clean up Bro." Throttle called to him. "Staying grimy isn't going to change anything but how close I'll get to you."

"Just a second," Vinnie called back, his fingers searching for a lock or clasp or any sort of seam at all, and finding nothing. "I'm trying to figure how to get this thing off," he said as he walked across to the pool.

"Probably requires removal of your head." The tawny mouse said without humor as he worked his fur clean.

"They got it on. It must come off somehow."

"They've got hovercraft and holo-technology, they have material that bonds with itself seamlessly with a simple chemical reaction." Throttle shrugged.

Vinnie muttered something under his breath as he slid into the water, still working at the collar with one hand. Even as he got his fur wet, strong hands were on his shoulders, rubbing a pleasant smelling shampoo into his fur.

"If I could just see it ..." Vinnie muttered to himself. "Bloody thing."

"It's the same as mind, Bro." Throttle said patiently.

"You can't see yours, Throttle. How would you know?"

"Touch, smell, radiant emanations." He shrugged and continued to work the suds into white fur. "I learned a lot without my eyes."

"Yeah," Vinnie said softly. "I guess you would."

"Don't get so wound up about it." Throttle advised gently. "It'll just make things worse."

"Things don't get a whole lot worse than this," Vinnie replied. "We've gotta find a way out of here."

"Like _fuck_ they can't, Bro." Throttle growled at him, his hands tightening on Vinnie's shoulders. "You want to know how bad things _could_ be?" He spun the white mouse around hard. "Do you?" He demanded coldly.

"I'm gonna hit you in a minute," Vinnie said darkly. "That'll be pretty bad."

"Did you ever kneel and take a Plutarkian in your mouth?" The tawny mouse growled deep in his chest, the rage flaring to the surface in a way Vinnie had never witnessed. "You care about anything that much, Bro? I protected your hide then, I'm going to now. No matter what that means."

"Well you'll have plenty of opportunity to whore yourself if that's what you want," Vinnie spat venomously as he twisted himself out of Throttle's grip. "I can take care of myself."

The white mouse heard only a fraction of the snarl before something hard and fast impacted with the back of his head and the world dimmed out to blackness.


	3. Coming to Terms

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Throttle and Vinnie try to come to terms with being sex slaves. It doesn't go well.

A soft, incoherent moan sounded through the room, followed by a second, louder one as Vinnie returned to consciousness. The room was the same one he remembered from before, though there was a fresh supply of food according to his nose.

"Hi, Bro." Throttle said quietly, curled up with his knees to his chest nearby.

"Whacked me good," Vinnie muttered as he lifted on hand carefully to the back of his head. "At least there's food."

Throttle only grunted and curled his tail around his ankles.

Vinnie dragged himself up into a sitting position and fell on the plates of food, devouring the dainty finger-foods in an effort to calm his hunger.

"Hey," he said after a moment. "What's in this box here?"

"Lube." Throttle answered quietly.

"Won't be needing that then," Vinnie snorted, grabbing it up in one hand and throwing it across the room into the pool. "Fuckers."

"Whatever makes you happy, Bro." Throttle sighed and looked away. "They will break you, you know."

Vinnie opened his mouth to reply, but then snapped his mouth shut so quickly Throttle could hear his teeth clack together. Instead the white mouse went back to worrying at the collar around his neck, determined to find some weakness or opening. He didn't have any more success now than he did before, although the distraction meant it was some time before he really noticed that Throttle never moved from where he was sitting.

"Hey," he called softly, "You want some of this? There still some of those funny cheesy things left."

"I had enough before you woke." He murmured, clearly not entirely in the room.

"You sure?" Vinnie asked insistently. "Can't tell when we'll get food again."

"Go ahead, Bro." He nodded. "I'm sure."

Vinnie frowned, picking up the food and carrying it over to Throttle. "Eat something," the white mouse insisted softly. "It's okay you hit me ... I was gonna do it to you."

That made the tawny mouse sign and pick up one of the cheesy bits and popped it ion his mouth. "Guess it's better I did it then. I can take it better than you."

"Don't flatter yourself," Vinnie said, though there was nothing of his usual boasting tone in it.

"You keep the attitude up, and we'll find out for real." Throttle said softly. "I really did eat before you woke up."

"Are we really gonna argue about this again?"

"No, Bro." Throttle dropped back into a defeated posture. "We're not. I'll try to shut up about it. I just don't want you hurt."

"So we need to get the fuck out of here," Vinnie said again.

"There's no way out of _here_." The tawny mouse sighed in frustration. "If you can see something I can't, please do."

"Did you look this time?" Vinnie asked, although his tone was much softer than his words.

"I looked last time." He retorted quietly. "Go look Bro. You'll find the same thing I did."

"So we need to find out what's around," Vinnie pressed on. "C'mon, you're usually the guy with the plan."

"I've _got_ a plan. It's just not one you want to deal with." Throttle retorted. "It doesn't seem to matter that it _works_ , just because you're the one having to give up your stupid pride to get out alive. I can, just better not ask Vincent Van Wham to do anything below his sensibilities."

"Don't be a jerk, bro," Vinnie said softly. "You know bloody well I never asked you to do anything like this."

"Someone had to," Throttle shrugged. "It bought lives, time, eventually our freedom more than once. It's just not that big a deal to do."

"Maybe not to you," Vinnie snorted. "I'm not exactly a member of the ass-rape fanclub."

"I know." Throttle nodded slightly. "It just means I can't protect you from what's coming, before we get home."

"Deal with it. I'm a big boy."

Throttle could only nod, though the pain it caused him was more evident than he realized.

"You wanna help me, then come up with your plan quick," Vinnie said seriously.

"Only other one involves getting back to Mars the hard way, and probably won't work." Throttle murmured. "The room is locked down Bro. We can run for it when the door opens, and get _maybe_ five paces before the guards right outside nail us. I'm open to suggestions other than biding our time for a better opening."

"Wait and see," Vinnie snorted, "Fuck. Have I mentioned how much I don't love this sort of plan?"

"More times than I've suggested it." Throttle almost chuckled. "I'm kind of short on other ideas, Bro."

"Wait and see it is then," Vinnie said with a disgruntled sigh.

"As much as it sucks, try not to fight too hard, until you're sure you can escape." Throttle wrapped his tail around the write mouse's wrist in a desperately frightened grip.

"I think that's gonna take care of itself," Vinnie said, shaking his head. "I couldn't pretend to like this if I wanted to."

"You don't have to like it, just don't give them a reason to send you to the pits." Throttle looked up at him with honest fear.

"Pits? You see something while I was out?"

"The fighting pits, Bro. They may beat and humiliate you up here, but you go in with the fighting slaves, and you die."

"Fuck," Vinnie said softly. It was the only thing he could say.

"Now do you understand why you need to not be quite so antagonistic?" Throttle searched the white mouse's face with desperate hope. "They're expecting me to introduce you to the basics, or you can take it from one of their trainers, and watch me take the punishment for not doing it."

"Throttle ... no. I cannot do this with you."

Throttle nodded with more acceptance than was normal for him. "I figured as much."

"You don't wanna do that to me anyway," Vinnie said softly.

"What makes you say that?" He looked up curiously.

"You don't want to rape me, I know that."

Throttle recoiled at that. "N-no." He stammered, shocked to the core at the thought. "I ... thought you meant something else."

"I know," Vinnie sighed. "That's not what I want."

"I couldn't force you like that, Bro." Throttle reached out a hand to squeeze Vinnie's wrist. "I just ... hoped ... you could accept the idea enough to let me make the first couple times easier on you."

"Some things can't be easy, and this is one of them." Vinnie shook his head. "We don't need that between us."

"If it's that hard for you, no, we don't." The tawny mouse agreed softly.

"We've been through that, haven't we?"

"Sometimes, I wonder if it'll ever stop happening." Throttle sighed and leaned back against the wall. "But do try to relax when they ... take you. It really does hurt a lot less."

"I'm not sure I'll have much choice," Vinnie said, shaking his head in disbelief. "I'll try."

"I suppose the same thing goes with the other stuff I'm supposed to teach you, hu?" Throttle looked less than thrilled.

"I don't wanna fuck you Throttle," Vinnie said simply.

"Well, there's that, but mostly how to give a blow job, rimming, the pleasure points to touch ... basic sextoy things."

"I'm so not sucking your cock, bro. Not even in your dreams."

"A little late for that." Throttle couldn't help the smirk.

"I figured." Despite everything Vinnie found he was smiling a little too.

"I see you have chosen not to accept your companion's offer to ease your way." Kaaya's voice was soft, almost understanding, as the door shut behind hir and the two mice from before. "Our Mistress does not care for your color, Throttle." Shi motioned easily to the bathroom.

With a very unhappy grumble the tawny mouse stood and followed her obediently. Vinnie, as usual was not so compliant.

"Doesn't care for his color?" He repeated. "She's just gonna have to live with it isn't she?"

"Not at all," Kaaya chuckled softly as the mouse servants poured a pitcher of black liquid into the bathing pool, turning it glassy black. "His fur will be dyed charcoal gray."

"What!" Vinnie was aghast. "You can't be serious!"

"In the water, Throttle." Shi motioned to the pool. "Quite serious. He can not remain the royal fur color." Shi explained as Throttle hesitated, then sank into the pool reluctantly.

Vinnie scowled, watching in disbelief as his friend sank into the blackened pool.

"It's just color." Throttle said with an almost steady voice as the two servant mice joined him and began to sponge his fur dark. Vinnie wasn't fooled, looking back and forth between Throttle and the imperious woman, his expression growing darker and darker as time went on.

"Vinnie, I do not give the orders. I merely carry them out and see to your needs." Kaaya said quietly.

"Sure, right," Vinnie obviously wasn't buying a bit of it. "What about our need to be left the fuck alone?"

"That is not a luxury a slave has." Kaaya explained simply.

Vinnie's expression darkened even more. Suddenly he decided he'd had enough. Moving quickly he grabbed hold of the woman and swept her up into his arms. Before she could do much more than cry out in surprise he'd taken the steps towards the pool and thrown her into the murky water.

"What the hell are you thinking, Bro!" Throttle's tone held both reprimand, fear and a real question as he swept the half-dyed and very outraged Fennec from the water and deposited her on the edge.

"You should listen to you friend more, mouse." Kaaya's voice was deadly, her lips pulled back from sharp teeth in a snarl. It clearly frightening the hell out of the servant mice, who were literally quaking in the water before returning to finish with Throttle's upper body when she glared at them.

"I wish I were listening to you less," Vinnie retorted, not at all cowed. "You're just full of bullshit."

"Vinnie!" Throttle all but roared. "Of all the stupid damn stunts you've pulled, this one damn near tops the list."

"Nahh," the white mouse shook his head as Kaaya stood and shook her fur out, splattering Vinnie and the walls with flecks of charcoal gray. "Couldn't be worse than when I blew up that building that time."

"We shall see if you believe that when you taste the results of your actions." Shi growled and stalked out of the apartment, trailing black water in her wake.

"Bro, she was our best bet." Throttle sighed softly and mentally dropped his two favorite plans.

"She was a bitch."

"She was doing her _job_." Throttle fumed slightly as the servants finished up his body.

"You will have to remove your glasses for a moment." The male mouse informed Throttle quietly. "Unless you would prefer to simply dunk your head all the way under."

"She was still a bitch," Vinnie insisted. "I can't believe you let her get away with that."

"You're one to talk Bro. You're a Dalmatian Mouse now." Throttle pointed out and took a breath before sinking completely under the water for a moment.

Vinnie snorted, grabbing hold of one of the fine, luxurious cushions and using it to blot the dye out of his fur with little success.

"Now it's just splotches, not spots." Throttle snorted. "You looked better with spots."

"What difference does it make? What's-her-face will probably be back after lunch thinking she can change my fur."

"Kaaya, and why are you making such a big deal of her?" Throttle demanded as he walked out of the bathing pool as it drained. "She's not the one making these choices."

"But she is the one walking in here and making all queen-of-the-world on us." Vinnie's voice dropped as he turned and saw Throttle. "Damn. You're gray dude."

"Yeah, I gathered as much." He shrugged, though there was little concealing the displeasure in him as he toweled dry.

"Bitch."

"Literally correct, you realize." He said as the servants quickly left.

"Huh?" Vinnie looked up, confused. "What do you mean?"

"She's a female canine. They are called bitches, like male horses are stallions." Throttle explained as he finished drying off and regarded the water through cybernetic vision before stepping into the now clear pool.

"Canine? With those ears?" Vinnie thought about it for a moment. "She looks more like a ... I dunno, not a canine."

"Bat." Throttle actually chuckled. "She is a kind of fox though. I'm blanking on the name, but I've seen that before."

"So she can't complain when I say it, huh?" Vinnie smirked playfully.

"Bro, you are missing the point." Throttle sighed. "She could have made things much easier on us. If you aren't a blood red mouse by evening, I will be surprised."

"There is no way she could get me in there if I didn't want to Throttle," Vinnie said, confident he was right. "And I definitely don't want to."

"No, Bro." he shook his head softly. "Red by blood. Yours and mine."

"If she lays a finger no either of us she's gonna get a much more nasty surprise," Vinnie said seriously. "I'm really getting sick of this crap."

"She won't." Throttle shrugged and got out of the water to dry off with a clean towel. "That is for much bigger individuals, who enjoy the work. Probably a few of the guards, if they don't have dedicated punishers here. Kaaya isn't even going to be here, most likely."

"Typical. Just like any bully."

"If you weren't my Bro, Vinnie, I would _so_ be denying I have anything to do with you by now." Throttle muttered under his breath.

Vinnie snorted. "Oh right. Because they've paid attention to so much that we've said recently."

They've paid attention to every word Bro." Throttle shook his head. "Just like in the prison camps. They listened, but it didn't mean we got what we wanted, just because they heard us."

"Except you never complained when I hit the guards back then."

" _They_ counted it as part of the job." Throttle retorted. "These people expect more civilized behavior."

"They behave with me, I'll behave with them," Vinnie shrugged. "Easy."

"Except you aren't keeping up your end of the bargain, and you're going to get both of us punished." He growled in annoyance.

"You can't compare this place to prison one moment and say they're being fair the next. That's bullcrap." The stubborn resistance began to rise in Vinnie's voice again.

"Bro, if you don't figure out how to behave around here soon, you are going to get both of us killed before we can get out."

"I'm not going to roll over and play puppy Throttle," Vinnie said stubbornly. "Not to these fuckers."

"And it's worth watching me get gutted over, Bro?" He looked at the spotted mouse sharply.

"You're exaggerating," Vinnie snorted. "They've just paid massive amounts of money for us."

"You're the pretty boy, Vinnie." Throttle would have rolled his eyes if he could. "But fighting is what would make that price up for them if we aren't satisfactory as pets."

"They don't like what they've got, then that's their problem," the white mouse retorted as he sat back down. "Serves them right."

Throttle just muttered something under his breath and found a spot to lay down away from his Bro for a while.


	4. The First Price for Rebellion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Throttle and Vinnie pay for Vinnie's stubborn streak.

Throttle and Vinnie's separate sulking was interrupted some time later by the door opening to reveal Kaaya, once more her normal tan self, four guards, a large panther in a fancier guard uniform. After they had entered and agreed the mice wouldn't immediately attack, a regal caracal female entered with two female wolf guards in different uniforms from the four males.

The procession earned a raised eyebrow form Vinnie though he was otherwise unimpressed, continuing to lounge idly across the cushions. Throttle looked very worried as he watched the male guards come up to them.

"You are going to be punished for your actions against your better." The caracal spoke with calm authority, despite being the second smallest individual in the room.

"Get up." One of the guards, a large tiger, grabbed Vinnie's arm. The white mouse didn't object as he was hauled to his feet, though there was nothing diffident in the look the tiger received, or the caracal woman after him. The attention of the whole room seemed focused on him and Throttle, who stood without the force. The guards in particular were making no effort to hide their air of expectation.

With both mice in hand, two simple racks materialized in the center of the room, set so the occupants would face each other.

The panther gave a grunt and a wave of his hand and the two mice were bound into the frames, arms above their heads and legs spread wide apart. Vinnie began to struggle as he realized what was going on, and it took three guards to finally get him locked in place.

In the meantime the panther padded across to Throttle, who'd been subdued with much less effort.

"You've changed some since I last saw you," the feline purred, his voice deep and smooth.

The now charcoal gray mouse didn't really respond, but his body was as relaxed and compliant as any who had a good idea of what was coming, and how to survive it best.

Salum smirked, then glanced over his shoulder to make sure Vinnie was tied in place. "With your permission, My Lady?" He asked, the eager glint in his eyes unmistakable.

"For as long as you entertain me." She nodded with a somewhat challenging smile and laid down on a cushioned bench brought in for her.

The panther gave a soft, wordless purr and looked back and forward between the mice for a few moments deciding which would be best to start with. In the end he decided on Throttle, sliding one hand between the mouse's legs and played with his balls.

Though Throttle made no sound, his body responded to the pleasurable touch. His stoic silence curled the panther's lips up into a smirk as he brought Throttle toward hardness, ignoring Vinnie entirely for the moment.

The panther's smirk turned into a gloating grin as Throttle's cock revealed itself, filling out in response to his touch. He waited until the mouse was fully hand before curling his fingers into a fist, squeezing Throttle's balls hard and digging his claws in, drawing a small gasp of pain as the now gray mouse's body went taunt.

The fingers of the panther's other hand ghosted along the rigid length of Throttle's cock, even as he increased the pressure on his balls. "Oh yes," he chuckled softly, even as he watched the mouse somehow relax despite the increasing pain. "You will be fun to play with."

His curiosity apparently sated the panther let Throttle go, stepping around behind the mouse and stripping his uniform off quickly. He laughed softly as he caught the venomous glare Vinnie was giving him.

"You'll get your turn pretty boy," the feline promised as his hands spread the globes of Throttle's ass apart. "Once I'm done with your friend." The panther's cock, already fully hard, was heavy against Throttle's entrance, filled with desire and lust. Then, without either warning or lube, he forced himself inside, savage thrusts of his hips overcoming Throttle's instinctive resistance for the short time it lasted.

As the thrusting punishment continued, Throttle dropped his face, turning it away from his Bro as his body responded as both training and warped desire called for. It wasn't long before the rough cock pounding his ass had him dribbling pre-cum and breathing hard at the unusual mixture of pain sensations.

A series of soft snarls and grunts arose out of the panther as his cock speared into Throttle again and again, working it's way deeper each time. As his desire mounted he leaned his head forward over the mouse's shoulder and bit into it, a dribble of blood escaping through his lips as his teeth worked their way into hot flesh.

It drew a low cry of pain mixed with increasing need and shame from the mouse. The thrusting of the panther's hips became more and more brutal until, finally, he threw his head back and gave a bloody roar as he dumped his seed into Throttle's ass, leaving the bound mouse on the very edge, whimpering needily.

"You like to be raped, don't you mouse?" The panther's voice was soft, but in the silence of the room everyone could hear.

Despite what his body indicated, Throttle managed to shake his head in denial, though he had no voice to back it up with.

"You're about to come mouse," the panther pointed out, reaching his right hand out towards one of the guards who'd come in with him. "You like to be raped, and you like to be hurt." As he spoke the guard attached something to his hand. A metal plate that sat against his palm, with straps to hold it on.

Once it was in place the panther bought his hand back up to press against Throttle's chest in a partial embrace. The mouse could feel the barbs in its surface piercing his skin. "I asked you a question, slave."

"No, yes, sir." Throttle barely managed to get the three words out through everything else that was going on in his mind and body.

"That's not particularly clear," his tormentor replied, pulling his hand slowly across Throttle's chest. The teeth in the plate opened narrow gashes in his skin, blood seeping slowly out into his fur.

The pain drew a low gasp, then whimper as he tried to find enough voice through the sensations and mental screams. "Don't like rape, get off on pain, sir." He shuddered, his shame building as memories of how he learned to respond this way broke out of their cell to torment his awareness again.

"Tell him," the Panther insisted, chuckling as he ran the plate across Throttle's chest again, then lower down towards his abs. "Look at him and tell him how you love the way I'm touching you."

That drew an almost growl from Throttle, but otherwise he refused to respond, despite the throbbing of his cock that was so clearly visible to his Bro.

The panther snarled, sinking his teeth back into Throttle's flesh and drawing a painful cry. His teeth and lips were bloody when he raised his head again. "Tell him, or I will run this plate across your cock."

A stifled whimper and Throttle turned his face to look at Vinnie. "I get off on pain, Bro." Vinnie's face was closed off, a mask of anger and hatred. Throttle couldn't even tell if he was listening.

"Your mouth had better be more talented than that," the panther snarled. "I don't think he's really getting the message."

"Bro, listen to me." Throttle somehow managed to put some strength into his voice. "I do get off on pain."

"As if you couldn't tell by the dripping of his cock," the panther gloated, sliding the metal plate down Throttle's side, drawing another soft whimper from the mouse as he trembled, his arousal and need growing heavy in the air between them. "You'll know he's had a good time when he comes back beaten and bloody."

Vinnie didn't say anything, but his eyes were locked onto the panther with a vicious, burning hatred.

The panther barely seemed to notice, his entire attention focused on Throttle as he slid his cock out of him at last. He stepped across to a large box that had been set beside the bench where the others were watching in rapt attention. With the lid flipped open both mice could see the array of shiny metal tools inside.

He took some time making his selection, but in the end it was a small container of sharp-toothed clamps that he picked up. The first that went onto Throttle were in fairly standard places; the mouse's nipples, his ballsac, the sensitive flesh on the inside of his thighs, and were tolerated without a sound, or much more than a little more pre-cum. The black feline spent some time deciding where to place the last one, before reaching up to clip it onto one of the bound mouse's antennae.

The response to that was instant, startling everyone there as Throttle screamed; a deep, soul-torn sound as his body betrayed him and came hard, his hips thrusting blindly into the air as his seed splashed on the creamy carpet.

The panther's amusement was obvious, both in the way he stood and in the low chuckle as he watched Throttle's body buck in it's restraints. He waited until the mouse had calmed before stepping closer, reaching down to remove on of the clips on Throttle's ballsac so that the other antennae could be adorned just like it's mate, gaining a similar response as Throttle fought the restraints on raw instinct and the pain-pleasure crashing threw his body.

"How curious," the panther purred with a smile. "I think My Lady will find that a most useful thing to know."

"Very," Lady Sh'ta's voice purred from where she rested. "A most useful bit of information on a most interesting plaything."

Throttle's tormentor laughed, stepping up to the whimpering mouse and lowering his head to lick at some of the blood that ran freely from the bite wounds in his shoulder. "Most interesting indeed," he purred softly as the muscular body continued to twitch and remained hard as the desperation increased in Throttle's scent.

The panther spent another moment considering Throttle's condition and then went back to the chest of supplies, returning with a handful of weights on small chains. He attached them to the clips biting into Throttle's nipples and ballsac, narrow rivulets of blood dribbling through his fur as the sharp teeth shifted and opened up his flesh.

"It is a pity I am not allowed to stain such clean white fur," the panther said as he worked. "I'm sure the pretty boy screams loudly."

"I'm sure he does, but you will contain yourself to simply mounting him, and using his leader as an example for him." Lady Sh'ta commented with a light purr, and no reprimand in her tone.

"But I have a much better idea, My Lady," the guard replied, grinning. "Our gray toy here is going to fuck him after all."

"Mmm, you know me well, Salum." She rumbled eagerly.

"I'm sure Grey would enjoy it as well," the panther grinned. His hands slid down Throttle's sides, one sliding smoothly through his fur, the other meeting some resistance as the plate's teeth opened up more gashes in his skin. "Wouldn't you?"

Despite the soft whimper of denial, Throttle's voice spoke the truth, thick with arousal, need and pain. "Yes, sir."

"If you perform well then we may decide to be lenient," Salum purred softly. "But if his screams do not convince us the pair of you have been suitably punished then I will have to step in. There is a great deal I can do to him without soiling his fur."

Throttle nodded, his voice an inarticulate denial as he looked at his Bro. But there was no doubt he would do what he had to, to satisfy these people and keep them off the other mouse.

The panther smirked in triumph as he removed the clips remaining in Throttle's groin, though he left the others in place. "Let him down," he instructed the guars as he crossed the room to stand beside the pair of women watching the proceedings.

Despite the storm of conflicting sensations and emotions ranging though his body and mind, Throttle managed to remain standing as he was released, and walked over to his spotted Bro. Vinnie's eyes followed Throttle as he moved, fear blooming behind the mask of hatred as the other mouse got closer.

"From me, or them, Bro." Throttle said very softly, meeting Vinnie's eyes as much as his shades allowed.

"Don't. Please." Vinnie's voice was hardly more than a whisper, shock and revulsion fighting for precedence.

"They will hurt you much worse, Bro."

"They will anyway."

Throttle nodded and stepped back, clearly not happy and more than a little terrified of what would happen next.

The panther's expression promised that it would not be pleasant. He crossed to Throttle in four swift paces and slapped Throttle across the face, tearing his cheek open with the plate still attached to his palm.

"Disobedient piece of shit," Salum growled. "I told you to fuck him."

"Only if he consents to me." Throttle said quietly, his determination a steel that showed in every line of his body.

"Consent? Neither of you have any such thing anymore. You may have one more chance to do as I've said."

Throttle looked at his Bro, his expression all but begging the white mouse to accept this but Vinnie wasn't even looking at him. The white mouse's face was turned down towards the floor, avoiding everyone else in the room.

"No." Throttle answered, sick with himself and what he was sure was coming.

Salum took half a step forward and slammed his knee into Throttle's groin, folding the large mouse over with a grunt of pain. "Tie him back up," the panther instructed his lackeys as he turned away.

Salum himself strode back over to the tool chest and stood there bristling with anger.

"Now this _will_ be interesting." Lady Sh'ta purred. "Such loyalty to another slave is rare."

"Perhaps sending one into the arena will encourage both to behave," Salum purred, his voice deep and menacing. The panther smirked as he picked up a pair of egg-shaped objects from the box. "In the meantime, perhaps these will suffice."

He stepped up behind Vinnie, running one hand slowly across the tight, restrained body. Holding one of the eggs up so that Throttle could see it over Vinnie's shoulder, Salum squeezed the device in his hand. It responded immediately, six short appendages springing out from its surface. Vinnie groaned softly as he felt Salum press the egg against his asshole and then screamed loudly as the device climbed up inside him. He twisted violently in the restraints as he felt the device moving inside his body, only able to offer half a denial as Salum let the crawl up into his ass as Throttle watched, almost detached from what happened to the other mouse.

Vinnie panted and twisted in his restraints as the things moved their way deeper into him, gritting his teeth and muttering swearwords under his breath. Salum just laughed. "Don't worry mouse, the best is yet to come. Perhaps my lady would like to do the honors?"

"Such a pretty creature." Sh'ta purred eagerly and reached over to ghost her fingers across the controller.

Vinnie went berserk. His body convulsed, throwing him against the frame again and again. The white mouse's face was twisted into a grotesque, tortured mockery; his mouth spread wide open although no sound escaped.

Sh'ta held him there for only a moment, then turned it off and gave him a moment to recover. "You still prefer our methods to your comrade?"

"Fuck you," Vinnie managed to say, though his voice was raw.

"Only if it pleases me," The Caracal purred with a soft chuckle. "And I prefer to watch males together." She added before turning the device back on.

The effect was immediate, although this time, after a few seconds, Vinnie released an ear-splitting howl of pain as his resistance gave out.

A moment later he was given a reprieve, and time to remember how to think before Sh'ta spoke again.

"You realize I can keep this up all day. It stops when you accept being mounted by that hunk of a gray mouse you are so close to."

"Never," the white mouse groaned.

"That is a very long time." Sh'ta chuckled as flicked the device back on. There was no scream this time, although if that was because Vinnie had regained his composure or because the pain was simply too great was impossible to tell.

But her interest in screams wore out line before Vinnie's will, and by the fifth round she yawned in dissatisfaction and flicked it off. The brutal treatment had taken its toll on the mouse though, leaving him hanging loosely by his wrists.

She flashed an irritated glance at Salum for not moving more quickly onto his next idea. The panther snarled softly himself, crossing back over to the toolboox. One quick touch on the control center had the devices working their way out of Vinnie, dragging an exhausted moan out of the mouse as his ass was stretched and two soft thuds as the eggs fell to the carpet, dormant once more. The panther scowled as his fingers danced across the array of options, each one considered and then discarded as the entire room watched him with various expressions.

"My pants," he said with a grin, holding out an expectant hand. One of his guards quickly scooped them up off the floor and passed them to him. It only took him a moment to find what he was looking for, a small plastic box. He flipped the lid open, looked inside, and smiled.

"Hold his head," Salum instructed as he stepped towards Vinnie again, taking two small blue pills out of the box and then putting it back in his pants. His flunkies took his meaning easily and, despite Vinnie's attempts at resistance, found it easy enough to make him swallow the drug.

"Now, let's see about making this experience as unpleasant for you as possible," Salum purred. He crossed back to the toybox, this time picking out what he wanted with a calm and confident air.

The panther went to work on Vinnie much as he had on Throttle, although in accordance with his instructions he used blunted clamps that wouldn't draw blood. Vinnie flinched slightly as each clamp was applied, small involuntary motions, but the mouse didn't really seem to be paying attention. His head hung at an odd angle, his eyes falling unfocused.

"Stop it." Throttle begged when he couldn't stand it anymore. "Please stop."

"Oh I'm afraid it's much too late for that," Salum replied, clearly not sorry at all. "In about a minute or so your friend is going to start seeing and hearing things that aren't actually real. I intend to see to it that the experience is as horrific as possible."

A low cringe rippled threw Throttle's body, but he made no more attempt to stop it.

Salum offered him a smug smirk. "You really should have fucked him when you had the chance."

"Maybe he'll learn." Throttle said very softly.

"I'll enjoy teaching him," the panther replied as Vinnie gave a long, low moan. "It would seem the show is about to begin, My Lady."

"That was rarely in doubt." She chuckled. "The gray one will be the first to mount his friend, however. That is simply too delicious to pass up."

"The mouse can take him any time he wishes," Salum grinned. "Until then ...." The panther set his hand against Vinnie's chest, just touching him with his fingertips, and then slowly moved it across, as though his hand were some sort of spider.

"No." Vinnie flinched, but his voice was dreamy and detached and when he looked up his eyes were badly out of focus. "Legs."

"That's right," Salum purred. "Hundreds and hundreds of little legs."

Throttle swallowed but held his tongue, glancing at the Caracal uncertainly every so often.

"It's hurts," Vinnie whimpered, sounding more like a child than Throttle had ever heard before. "Get them off." Far from getting them off the panther set his other hand on the mouse's shoulder and started creeping it up his arm. Vinnie began to tremble fiercely, twisting back and forth in his restraints. "Get them off me!"

"Mistress, will you stop this if I please you?" Throttle asked softly, a desperate edge on his voice.

"It will take more than before, but yes." She regarded him with keen interest. "But first you will take him, on his back, before me. And pleasure him with it."

"An antidote, Mistress?"

"None, but what he thinks is there, is dependant on stimulus." She inclined her head. "You are responsible for that now."

Throttle shivered, but nodded. "Yes, Mistress."

Salum unbuckled the white mouse from his frame and manhandled him across to the carpet in front of the Caracal female. He lay there, hands scrabbling over his chest in an attempt to dislodge the phantom creatures while Throttle was released.

The gray mouse was shaky as he made his way to his Bro, using his tail to make a single strong sweep across the white chest. Vinnie tensed up, freezing in place as Throttle's tail touched him.

"I'm sorry, Bro." Throttle murmured as he moved his hands over the frozen frame with steady sureness, trying to figure out just what kind of stimulus was useful.

Salum stood over the mice, watching with his arms crossed over his chest and a derisive smirk on his face.

Throttle didn't seem to be having much success in calming Vinnie down. Every time the gray mouse touched him he'd flinch or whimper, though no further speech was forthcoming. Muttering something under his breath he unclamped Vinnie's antennae, then the rest of his body, and freed his own, though he didn't bother with the rest. He didn't feel them anymore, but they helped keep him hard, and he needed the help.

Salum shook his head, crouching down across the white mouse's chest. "Like this," he said impatiently, reaching across Vinnie's chest to draw a slow figure eight. "Simple, reinforcing figures." At first that didn't seem to have any more success than the other things Throttle had tried but as the panther continued to trace the pattern on Vinnie's chest his breathing evened out, and he seemed much less panicked.

"Damned if I know how you're going to fuck him," the guard told Throttle softly as the gray mouse picked up the motion. "But afterward you can stand him in the pool with the lights off. Water's usually gentle."

Throttle nodded, using his free hand to tip Vinnie's head back as he focused his own will and memories, and sent a silent thanks to the one who had taught him how be like pain for the tricks that could save his Bro more pain. His tail took care of positioning the white mouse's hips as he prepared to do something he didn't think he ever would.

He gently brushed their antennae together, focusing enough of his will to override much of his Bro's own motor controls and sensations, particularly those involved in pleasure. Even in his calmer state Vinnie's mind was a chaotic mess. Everything he saw, heard or felt triggered a cascade of short-lived sensations, making it difficult to focus on any single set of sensations, or to separate what was real from the drug-induced illusions.

Throttle gritted his teeth and pushed his choice of reality over the rest of the drug-induced ones as he sank slowly into the white mouse's body. Vinnie moaned softly, his body clamping down around the unwelcome intrusion. This new sensation, something he'd never experienced before, sent echoes spinning around the spaces inside his head, not all of them pleasant.

Adding even more strength to the choice of reality he was forcing on his Bro, Throttle slowly began to thrust, aware he was putting on a show even as he focused everything on getting his Bro off.

Each thrust into the white mouse was accompanied by a soft moan, his body twitching around Throttle's cock as it fucked him steadily. His own sheath didn't respond as readily as Throttle had hoped, swelling only slightly as the fucking continued.

It brought a shift of tactics, and a new focus to the sensations now dominating Vinnie's mind. He began to feel the slick, hot pleasure of being buried deep inside a lover; one his eyes, nose and touch insisted was a very attractive brunette female.

The sudden shift in sensorioum sent a series of powerful tremors through Vinnie's body, bizarre hybrids of reality and the image Throttle was suggesting to him spiraling off in all directions. It had the desired effect though. Vinnie's next moan was louder and deeper, throaty with desire, and his cock responded in kind. The speed with which it slid free of its sheath seemed almost obscene given the situation; something Throttle tried his best to ignore thinking about, in favor of adding as much detail and intensity as he could to the hallucination he was forcing on the other mouse as his breath grew slightly ragged.

Vinnie twisted and moaned beneath Throttle, no longer seeing anything remotely connected to the room his body was in. The nature of the drug he'd been given kept Throttle from entirely eliminating his weight on top of Vinnie, or his cock solid inside the other mouse's ass, but it also amplified aspects of his own illusion. Pleasure twisted and spiked through Vinnie's body in ways that probably weren't actually possible, leaving the white mouse gasping and panting for breath.

With his partner aroused and hard, and a slightly better understanding of what he was doing, Throttle continued the figure eight on Vinnie's chest with his hand, and moved his tail down to spiral tightly around Vinnie's cock, stroking it with a practiced touch.

In his drug addled state Vinnie had no means by which to resist Throttle's attentions, though it was doubtful he realized just who it was on top of him. Through the link he'd established Throttle was able to feel the pleasure mounting in Vinnie's body and mind, even fractured into as many shifting, twisting parts as it was.

The gray mouse was breathing hard as the pleasures of his body, his partner, and what he was projecting all focused on the point of no return, drawing him down despite his best efforts. Vinnie gave a sharp, incoherent cry as Throttle's pleasure crashed down over his own, his body convulsing violently as he came, breaking the last scrap of resistance in his Bro.

Throttle roared as he thrust hard and fast, empting his balls into his Bro.

"A decent enough show." Sh'ta murred as the mice recovered. "Bring the white one here," she casually trailed a hand over the side of the bench, "and bind the gray. He still must face up for his actions." She locked eyes with Salum. "As long as he remains hard, he is yours."

The panther grinned, his eyes devouring Throttle as the guards strung him up again. This time Salum didn't waste time with words or games, just stepping up behind the bloodied mouse and forcing himself back into Throttle's body.

It was the beginning of a long, brutal fucking. Salum's powerful frame granted him both vigor and endurance, both of which he spent at Throttle's expense. He screwed the mouse until his seed dribbled out of Throttle's ass and ran down his legs, each orgasm accompanied by his teeth sinking into a shoulder or the back of his neck, though never hard enough to crack bone. Throttle's only consolation was that, in his current state, Vinnie probably wouldn't realize what was happening, even with Salum's triumphant roars echoing in his ears and Throttle's own voice crying out twice as he came from the punishment.

Finally Salum drew himself out of the much-used mouse, taking the few steps across to the empty frame Vinnie had occupied and picking up one of the egg-devices from where it lay on the carpet. "More, My Lady?" the panther asked, waking the device with a squeeze of his hand.

"He's still hard." She observed, her finger tracing a lazy figure eight across Vinnie's chest.

"He has remarkable endurance," Salum agreed as he walked behind Throttle, holding the device against his dripping opening and watching for the few moments it took the egg to find it's grip and climb up inside the mouse. Then he walked back across to the toolbox and removed the control station, carrying it with him so was standing directly in front of Throttle when he hit the button.

Though his body jerked and writhed sharply at the direct stimulation to his nerves, Throttle stayed silent for a full ten seconds before it drew a ragged moan from his chest.

Salum laughed softly as he turned the device off again, his fingers ghosting across Throttle's cheek in a surprisingly gentle gesture. "And still he resists. This is a remarkable toy you have My Lady."

"Yes," she purred back approvingly. "Though he will not be nearly so entertaining with that resistance broken."

"You wish me to stop?" Salum asked with a raised eyebrow.

"No, just to be careful." She chuckled. "He has to last a nice long time to be worth the price paid for them."

"Yes My Lady," Salum said, ducking his head as he activated the device inside Throttle's bowels once more.

Again the gray mouse offered stubborn silence despite his body, but the cry ripped from him was much more desperate as his seed spurted out once more under the punishment.

"Perhaps more extreme measures will make him scream for us," the panther mused, picking the other egg up from the floor and stepping in close to Throttle. "Open your mouth, slave." Salum instructed, shutting off the pain so the mouse could respond.

It took Throttle a while to focus enough to even realize there was anyone in front of him, and even then the look on his face was blank.

"Open your mouth," Salum repeated impatiently, waking the second egg.

The mouse took a moment to possess the words, and he obeyed, though it was clear from his expression that he was responding without comprehending what it really meant.

Salum set the egg in his mouth, then watched as it worked it's was down into his esophagus. He allowed the second device a few moments to position itself properly, then activated them both.

For a fraction of a second Throttle didn't respond at all as his overloaded brain and body tried to figure out just what to do with the new impute it didn't have any real classification for. The mouse opened his mouth, but no sound came out, even as Salum was sprayed with ribbons of mouse cum while Throttle arched and twisted as much as the restraints allowed.

The panther snarled as he stepped back, wiping the white mess out of his fur and de-activating the eggs. "It would seem he's had more than enough for the moment, My Lady," Salum said softly, his displeasure obvious. "Though the devices could be left in place for when he recovers somewhat."

"Yes, and when he explains what happened to his friend here." She murred. "I never thought I would see a slave outlast you." She purred with real amusement.

"My Lady wishes him to last," Salum replied evenly.

"Yes," she purred. "Perhaps when he's paid his buy-price we can have a true match. It would be something to see."

"As My Lady wishes," Salum deferred, leaving a brief pause before his next question. "Does My Lady wish me to begin with the white one again?"

"No." Sh'ta said, her gaze still on Throttle. "I wish to see if they are more reasonable, when they are conscious again. Jassa will see to them for now."

"Very good My Lady," Salum said, stepping back over to his uniform as getting dressed again.


	5. The Arms of an Angel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Recovery, and a new companion.

Vinnie felt himself start to come down from the chaotic insanity of whatever he'd been given to strong arms holding him in the warm water of a dark room. As reality solidified more, he realized the one holding him was definitely female. The white mouse moaned softly, stretching his arms as control began to return.

The steady support never wavered as he got his body back under control. About half way through the possess, he realized a Martian Mouse tail was wrapped around his waist as well.

"What the fuck happened?" he asked, the words slightly mangled by his imprecise control.

"The drug is called Vision, and you took a hell of a dose." A soft, friendly female voice answered near his ear. "You remember much?"

"I remember that asshole making me swallow the pills," Vinnie scowled in the darkness. "After that it's just ... crazy."

"One way to put it." She nodded. "Do you feel with it enough to eat?"

"Maybe. A little."

"Don't force yourself. Vision's a potent hallucinogen." She said gently and helped him walk to the stairs of the pool. "But is does wear off."

"Where's Throttle?" Vinnie asked her.

"Sleeping in the other room." She answered easily. "Even cleaned up, he's still in pretty rough shape, but he'll heal."

"Everyone around here's fucked in the head," Vinnie mumbled, just putting one foot in front of the other taking much more effort than it should have.

The she-mouse helping didn't comment, but remained a strong support just behind him. Every so often he caught a flash of white fur that wasn't his as they moved into the dimly lit main room. Vinnie staggered over to the comfortably arranged niche he'd lounged in before, lying down on the luxurious cushions.

"Want to try to eat or drink anything?" She asked gently.

"Drink," he replied, catching a glimpse of her eminently female form in the slightly better lighting as she turned away with a sway of hips and wavy hair.

After taking something from a wall niche that hadn't seemed to contain anything before she returned and knelt, lifting the glass to his mouth to help him drink. He was tentative at first, just sipping, but quickly recovered his appetite, emptying the glass.

"More?" She looked at him, her tail brushing across his thigh gently.

"Yeah," he nodded as she stood to refill the glass. "Thanks."

"You are welcome." She said softly as she returned, his eyes now catching the glint of the only thing she wore; a collar like Throttle's.

"You're a slave," he realized, his voice suddenly more wary.

"Of course." She looked at him curiously and raised the glass to his mouth. Vinnie forced himself to sit up, taking the glass from her and holding it in his own hands.

"Something wrong?" She looked at him with a bit of confusion.

"No, I'm fine," Vinnie replied, his control over his speech much better now.

"Well, you are getting there at least." She nodded and sat down next to him. "My name's Vaya."

"Vinnie," he replied, taking a swallow from the glass.

"So where are you from?" She asked conversationally. "I don't remember anyone like you from the villages."

"A long way from here." Vinnie said softly. "We've been trying to get back there for a long time."

"This place have a name?" She asked gently. "Maybe I've met someone from there."

"Mars." The longing in his voice was obvious, even through his otherwise reticent manner.

Vaya blinked, her surprise obvious. "The homeworld?" She stared at him hard. "It still exists?"

"Did when we left," Vinnie nodded, "Though she wasn't in great shape."

"Oh, my." She lifted a hand to her mouse, her tail curling around her curled legs in shock.

"There was war for a long time," Vinnie continued, softly. "I'm not even sure that we won. My bros and I were on a mission that was going to really turned the tide, but something went wrong and we couldn't get back home."

"Wow," she murmured. "The stories passed down said the world was lost. We were the only survivors."

"No, not the only ones. Hopefully there are still mice back there now."

"Oh, wow." Seemed to be the only thing she could say, though she was clearly extremely excited by the news.

"Yeah, joy." Vinnie was massively less overjoyed.

"Sorry, Vinnie." She subdued. "But it's kind of a big deal for us."

"Not really," he disagreed. "None of us is ever gonna see it again."

"But ... you're from there, you know where Mars is." She persisted.

"Kinda, yeah," he nodded. "But you can't get there from here. We've been trying for years."

Vaya scrunched her brows in confusion. "Oh."

"Yeah, pretty much," Vinnie said bitterly. "We get to stay here and be tortured by psychopaths our whole lives."

"Not if you behave," she pointed out quietly. "There are far worse owners than Lady Sh'ta."

Vinnie just snorted, turning his attention back to his drink. "Figures you'd say that."

"It's the truth."

"Yeah, right."

Vaya shook her head, clearly confused. "You refuse pleasure, complain at pain, care nothing for your Bro or yourself. What is the point of it?"

"Y'know I've already had this discussion once today, and I really don't care what you think." Vinnie was brutally frank. "I'm feeling a lot better now, you can go."

She shook her head and stood to shift her attention to the still sleeping Throttle, who looked worse than Vinnie remembered feeling.

* * *

It was near drawn before Throttle moaned softly, his battered body demanding he wake enough to feed it at least. Very slowly he convinced his stiff muscles to move, only to find gentle, helping hands that were surely the she-mouse he vaguely remembered earlier helping him clean his wounds as she tended Vinnie.

"Throttle?" Vinnie's voice was further away, across the room, but he was clearly more coherent than he had been.

"Yeah," his voice was raw, past any attempt to hide just how badly abused he'd been.

"You okay?" It was a stupid question, but it was the only thing Vinnie could think of to say.

"Been worse," he rasped out, leaning heavily on the white female to sit up.

"He could really use some juice, Vinnie." Vaya said softly.

"Sure, I've got it," the white mouse replied, bringing a glass and the whole pitcher of juice across with him.

Throttle's hand was shaking too much to hold the glass he reached for, and at this range Vinnie couldn't miss that his face, side, chest and legs a matt of bloody gray fur despite being cleaned.

"Damn bro," Vinnie swore softly as he helped Throttle take a swallow while Vaya supported him gently. "What did those assholes do?"

"Not nearly as much as they could have." Vaya answered, the mouse in her arms far too focused on getting the liquid down his parched and full throat to reply. "And more than they would have, if he'd cooperated."

Vinnie didn't reply, his attention focused much more of his bro than on the she-mouse as Throttle got the badly need liquid down his throat, his energy to drink around the egg in his throat drained long before his thirst was sated.

"Vinnie, would you get the medical kit over there?" She used her tail to point to a box against the far wall, near the entrance to the bathroom. Vinnie gave Throttle a concerned look, but got up and did as she asked, returning quickly to the gray mouse's side.

Vaya wasted no time in opening the box, selecting a hand sized cloth as began to clean the bloody mess that was Throttle's fur as he lay down again, utterly exhausted. Vinnie just sat beside his beaten bro, looking down at him in shock.

She spent more than half an hour carefully cleaning his wounds and applying cream to them, letting the gray mouse rest when she got up to get rid of the soiled and used supplies. Vinnie hadn't moved in all that time, helping Throttle take a drink when he asked for it and watching as the other mouse drifted back unconscious.

"He'll be all right, eventually." Vaya said quietly as she settled next to Throttle, carefully placing her body and hands where he wasn't injured.

"Eventually," Vinnie repeated bitterly. "I'd like to get that fucking panther and show him a thing or two."

"I doubt it will be anything new." Vaya sighed softly. "He's a serious sadist, worst in the palace."

"Obviously." Vinnie's voice was dark and angry, his expression shaped to match.

"The up side is that very few like it as brutal as him." Vaya murmured as she relaxed, trying to give Throttle what comfort a friendly body would be. "Compliance is expected, but most are interested in pleasure, not pain."

"Again with the 'Wonderful to be raped' lecture," Vinnie said, making no effort to hide what he thought of it. "That's really starting to piss me off."

"Then leave, and find out what is worse." She shrugged slightly. "Just do it before your friend wakes, so he won't be punished for your actions again."

"We can't leave," Vinnie retorted. "If we could this would never have happened in the first place."

"There are clothes in the closet," she pointed at a faint shadow on one wall with her tail. "Get dressed and walk out the door. Look like you have a right to leave and no one will challenge you."

"The other one didn't tell us that," Vinnie said softly. "Otherwise we'd be gone."

"Kaaya wouldn't know those things." Vaya shrugged. "Shi's not a slave."

"We'll be going once Throttle's feeling better then," Vinnie said firmly.

"Where?" She looked at him with a mixture of curiosity, confusion and hope.

"Anywhere. We've still got one more bro to find, and a home to get back to. Even if we can't do either of those I'm not gonna let him stay here and be treated like this."

"He wasn't with you in the slave market." She said with a fair amount of certainty. "Lady Sh'ta has a fascination with us. There is no way the palace wouldn't have bought him."

"We don't know where he is," Vinnie admitted softly.

"Was he with you before you ... crashed?" She said the last word, only guessing if it was the right one.

"No," Vinnie told her. "We haven't seen him since Mars. Took Throttle and me months to find each other afterward."

"If he's on Korroun, he's probably in one of the villages." Vaya said softly. "Very few Martians are slaves these days."

"We might check that out then," Vinnie said softly. "It's as close to a lead as we've ever gotten."

"And it's kin." She looked at him softly. "We may be six generations separated from Mars, but we are still Martians."

Vinnie shrugged, making a soft frustrated sound as he settled back in the niche he'd claimed almost by default.


	6. Slave Pastimes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Recovery, a new companion, and Vinnie faces the consequences of his attitude.

Three days of uninterrupted time left Vaya utterly bewildered about Vinnie, and Throttle finally able to bath and feed himself, the second going much easier after Vaya had gotten the control box and had the devices come out of him. Vinnie had gauged his bro's recovery quite closely, waiting for the appropriate time to bring up the topic of escape.

"You know," he began casually, "Vaya says we can just take out clothes and leave if we want."

"I don't doubt it," Throttle shrugged as he washed himself, the she-mouse in the other room to give the males some privacy when he'd asked for it. "It's staying out that is the issue."

"There are villages, too. Just with mice. We could go there and they'd help us hide out."

That statement stopped Throttle cold. "Other ... Martian mice?"

"You have seen Vaya, haven't you?" Vinnie chuckled softly. "She was pretty shocked when I told her where we were from.

"Can't say I looked that close." He murmured, honestly surprised. "I noticed she was a mouse, but not much more. There are whole villages on this planet?"

"I haven't seen them, of course, but that's what she said."

"How?" Throttle asked softly as he resumed the careful cleaning of his heavily bruised body.

"I dunno," Vinnie said with a shrug. "She said fifth generation, so that'd be before the wars. Of course she could be spinning crap, I wouldn't be surprised."

"She planning to come too?"

"I didn't ask." Vinnie shrugged.

"Do you even know which direction to head, once we're out the door?" Throttle asked quietly as he worked on his fur.

"No, we'd need to talk with her about that ... but it's more of a plan than we had when we got here."

"I'll grant you that, Bro." He nodded quietly. "It's crazy enough to actually have a chance of working."

"I'm sure as hell not hanging around here," Vinnie said softly. "And neither are you."

Throttle made an abortive shrug. "I've been stuck worse places. How much do you remember about what happened?"

"More than I'd like to," Vinnie replied darkly. "Nothing after he gave me that stuff. At least, nothing that makes any sense."

Throttle nodded, not sure whether to be disappointed or relieved.

"So this is a good plan, right?" Vinnie asked. "Do you want me to call her in here?"

"Might as well," he nodded.

Vinnie nodded, pleased to be actually doing something about the situation. He went to the door arch and called to the she mouse, brining her into the room a few minutes later.

"We want to talk to you about something."

"Leaving?" She regarded the pair evenly.

"Yeah. We want to know where these villages are. The Martian ones you told me about."

"They are a set of islands in the smaller sea, near the tropics on the other side of the planet." Vaya said quietly. "An aircraft wouldn't take long to get there."

"What if we couldn't get an aircraft?"

"Overland to the sea, then sail." She shrugged. "It's a long trip, but quite possible if you can get a ship to go there. Not many will."

Vinnie sighed softly. "There's no better way?"

"We don't have teleport technology, if that's what you mean." She looked at Vinnie a little uncertainly.

"No, I mean ... I dunno. Throttle? Have you got any ideas?"

"How difficult will getting a suitable aircraft be?" He asked, still tending to his fur.

"Not difficult, I expect." She shrugged. "I co-own one I think can make the trip, though she'll require several refueling stops."

"So why don't you leave?" Throttle regarded her suspiciously.

"I live better here than anyone in the villages." Vaya shrugged. "Unlike your friend, I don't have a problem trading my body for favors."

That earned her a glare from the white mouse, as he muttered something under his breath, but a nod from Throttle.

"Are you coming with us?" Throttle asked quietly.

"No." She shook his head. "I like my life here."

"Looks like we're on our own again bro," Vinnie muttered.

Throttle ignored him, focusing on the she-mouse. "Will you help us?"

"No." She shook her head. "I will teach you about the palace. How you use that information is not my concern."

"Would you consider taking a trip home?" He asked carefully.

Vaya chuckled softly. "Perhaps. Though it will take some doing to get to take two buff mice with me."

"What's required?" Throttle asked, immediately interested.

"Lady Sh'ta's permission, basically.' She shrugged. "Assuming you want to go with me legally, and not hijack my aircraft or something."

"Great," Vinnie muttered. "She's so gonna want to let us go."

"That is something you have to figure out." Vaya shrugged. "I can leave largely as I will."`

"I thought you said we could as well," Vinnie challenged her. "That's what you told me the other day."

"And you can." She nodded. "Just walk out. The difference is that I can leave with permission when I like. Lady Sh'ta trusts me to come back, and serve her wishes without having to watch me every moment."

"She means, she can leave, and not be hunted down." Throttle explained as he moved from the warm water.

"I don't see that happening for us in a hurry," Vinnie said, stating the obvious.

"No, it won't be." Throttle shook his head. "Not with you at least."

"We don't have the time to wait anyway," Vinnie said, dismissing the issue. "We need to get away soon."

"That means we get dressed and walk out." Throttle shook his head, very un-at-ease with the entire thing.

"If we went out with her we'd get further," Vinnie said suddenly. "I bet."

"And what would that cost?" Throttle looked at her.

"Nothing he'd do." She made a dismissive wave at Vinnie. "You may be kin direct from Mars, but I'm not loosing my position for nothing."

"Bloody hell," Vinnie growled angrily, "Don't you people ever think about anything else?" He didn't wait for an answer, instead stalking away from the pool and back into the other room. He heard her make a comment about not getting it before he blocked it out entirely.

* * *

All three mice, Throttle in Vaya's gentle embrace and Vinnie in his separate alcove, were abruptly woken by four large guards entering with Kaaya.

"Take the white one." The Fennec stated coolly, pointing to Vinnie.

"Huh? What?" Vinnie's hands shielded his eyes against the sudden light, then tried ineffectually to fight the guards off. "Hey! Get your hands off me!"

"You have been deemed an extraordinarily bad influence on two otherwise well behaved slaves." Shi stated simply as the guards securely bound his wrists, ankles and tail together so he could barely walk. "You are to be isolated until you learn to behave."

"What the fuck?" Even bound wrist and ankle Vinnie didn't stop struggling, though it drastically reduced the effectiveness of it. "Screw you lady!"

"Not until you are very good at it, White." Shi sneered at him, hir lips pulled back from a jaw of sharp teeth.

"Throttle!" Vinnie's last cry was desperate as the guards manhandled him towards the door. He got a glimpse of his gray Bro standing, but Vaya and a look from Kaaya stopped him as the door shut and the guards hauled him to a much smaller room with dark marble floors, a small bathing trough, only a single small window set high for natural light.

He fell against the floor hard, struggling with his bonds to little effect as the door slammed shut behind him. Eventually he gave up, letting his body go limp, his face falling against the floor.

The light had changed by the time the door opened to admit someone and large, strong hands began to unbind him. Vinnie couldn't fight down the relief as his hands came free again, though that didn't stop him dragging himself across the floor from his unseen benefactor and undoing his ankles himself.

"You are one stubborn creature." A deep but feminine voice rumbled with a touch of bemusement.

"You guys are pretty crappy company too," Vinnie shot back, though after having been left for so long the rejoinder didn't have quite the bite he'd wanted. Especially not in the face of the creature in the room with him.

A solid nine feet of heavy, hard muscle covered by a long, gray on gray rosetted pelt that did little to conceal the intimidation value of this shecat, or the fact that 'she' was packing not only a very impressive set of saber teeth and taunt breast, but balls and a sheath between hir legs.

Vinnie made a face as he noticed the mismatched anatomy. "Screw up the surgery did they?"

"No," shi purred and dropped to a squat next to him. "I was born with the gifts of both genders. Care to know the terms of getting out of here?"

"Pick a number between one and ten?" Vinnie's jokes were getting weaker and weaker.

"Obedience and skill, White." Shi informed him, still in good humor. "I'm not like Salum, but he gets you if I can't get you in shape."

"You people need a new line," Vinnie told her. "What makes you think it sounds any better after seventy times?"

"Let me put it another way for you." The Sabertoothed Snow Leopard locked eyes with him. "You can have pleasurable sex up here in the harem, or be taken like your friend was the other day and fight until you are killed in the pits."

"You're deluded. Either way it's just rape."

"One just hurts a hell of a lot less." Shi pointed out calmly.

"If you expect me to say I like this bullshit then you're out of your mind," Vinnie snarled.

"I don't expect you to like it, but you will make up your mind which kind of rape you prefer." Shi said in a no-nonsense tone.

"The kinda where I don't get raped," Vinnie had to fight down the hysterical laughter. "Duh."

"That's easy." Shi chuckled. "It's only rape when you object. You're going to pleasure others with your body. Statement of fact. You can go to the pits, fight and serve Salum and the guards for a short, nasty life. You can do what's required of you and be raped here, but see daylight and warm water and your friend. You can decide it isn't rape, and learn to enjoy your life here."

Vinnie sighed, closed his eyes and let his face fall back to the floor. "Go away," he said softly.

"You have an hour." Shi stood to leave. "When I return, you will eat, and your first lesson will begin."

* * *

"Have you chosen, White?" The Snow Leopard herm asked neutrally when shi came back in, a small red vixen carrying a tray with food and drink.

"I haven't heard a choice yet," Vinnie replied weakly.

"The default is going to the pits with the sadist who took you and your friend before." Shi informed him evenly as the tray was set in his reach and the vixen darted off.

"I don't want any of this," Vinnie said softly, showing more submission than he had the whole time. "I just want to go home."

"Then buy yourself." Shi said gently and sat on the floor next to him. "Or earn enough trust that Lady Sh'ta will allow you to travel. I know Vaya mentioned her freedoms."

"My home's a hell of a lot further away than that," Vinnie sighed, not even looking at the food. "Throttle ... Throttle just wants me to whore myself out to whoever comes by."

"He wants to survive." Shi pointed out calmly. "He knows enough to recognize when he was made responsible for your behavior as well as his. He cares about you a great deal, with what he did when you were drugged."

"He'd be happy enough with that girl, if I never got back there," Vinnie said softly.

"Vaya?" Shi chuckled softly. "They understand each other, is all. He's in love with you."

"Crap." Whether it was rebuttal or a description of how the mouse was feeling would be hard to tell.

"You don't think he does?" Shi regarded him curiously.

Vinnie didn't answer for some time. "It doesn't matter, if he wants to stay here and play meatpuppet."

"So what version of meatpuppet will you be playing?"

"It doesn't make any difference," Vinnie said bitterly. "You rape me or he does."

"Yes," shi nodded, clearly disappointed. "If you don't care, I guess we will begin with how to survive the guards."

"Whatever," Vinnie said softly, shaking his head.

"Such a waste," shi murmured and moved fast, catching his tail in one hand and pushed him to his back, his legs spread outside hir own. "You could own the court with those looks." Shi rumbled as shi leaned over him, hir cock quickly emerging from its sheath as shi rubbed his groin with hir own.

Vinnie either didn't hear or didn't see fit to respond, closing his eyes as the feline's cock pressed into his groin.

"You are such a handsome boy," shi murmured gently in his ear as hir hips shifted, knowing instinctively where his ass would be. "It's a shame to make you bleed."

The mouse's body tense up as he felt the shaft of flesh slide under him to his asshole, trying to prepare himself for what was coming.

"Relax, handsome." Shi whispered, then paused. "He's never bedded you, has he?"

"You're about to rape me," Vinnie choked out. "Not relaxing."

"Your friend ... he never bedded you, has he?" Shi repeated, more insistent for an answer.

"No," Vinnie said, turning his face away. "I'm not like that."

Shi sighed, shaking hir head and moved off of him for a moment to get something from hir box of supplies near the door. "You won't always have the luxury of this, but I'm not that much a sadist to take a virgin without a little lube to ease the way."

The white mouse didn't say anything. He wasn't even looking at hir anymore as shi opened the contain to coat hir cock generously, then took a good sized glob on one finger and gently pressed it into his body.

"No," he gasped as his insides rebelled against the intrusion, instinctively trying to push the finger back out.

"You wish not to be stretched?" Shi regarded him curiously, fairly sure of what he really meant.

"I'd rather not be fucked at all," Vinnie managed through clenched teeth.

"That's not an option." Shi said simply and continued to gently finger fuck him. He couldn't fight down the choking, revolted sound he made as she probed deeper, no matter how much he would have preferred to stay silent.

One finger moved to two, and the intrusion returned, carefully stretching and slicking his passage.

"Stop!" Vinnie cried out, his body twisting beneath hir.

While not instant, the intrusion did retreat as shi regarded him quietly. Vinnie scrambled back as far away from her as he could, squeezing himself back into the corner of the room.

"You're going to have to go through this." Shi said with a gentleness at odds with hir brutally powerful form. The mouse didn't reply, covering his head with his arms and burying his face as shi moved over to where he was huddled, taking advantage of his position to ghost hir fingers up his empty sheath.

He filched as shi touched him, but having backed himself into the corner there was nowhere for him to go that would get him further away as the gentle attention continued.

"Get off me," He hissed when it became clear shi wasn't going to leave him be.

"You will have to accept some attention today." Shi said simply. "Continue to be unreasonable, and I will stop listening to your requests."

"I don't have to accept any of this bullshit," Vinnie said softly. "You'll all do it to me anyway. All I want is to be left alone, I don't think that's so unreasonable."

"It doesn't have to be that gloomy." Shi regarded him evenly for a while. "I'll call this progress for today." Shi stood and left, taking her box with her and leaving the mouse curled in on himself and shivering.


	7. An Act of War

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vinnie may be grateful to be rid of the collar, but the mice villages are nothing he expected.

Vinnie's whimpering in the dimness of his room was interrupted by a dim glowing that grew into an oval. As he watched, two Martian Mice stepped out of the glow.

"Come with us, brother." The larger of the two, a reddish chestnut brown male, spoke with calm authority the still contained a note of urgency for the situation. "It is time to leave this place."

Vinnie just stared, unable to believe what he was seeing for a few moments. "Leave?" he said softly. "I can go?"

"If you hurry." The pale cream and tan female said with soft urgency, her eyes flicking to the door. "Our blood brother claims you as warrior-kin. We protect our own, Vinnie."

"Whatever you say, just get me the hell out of here," Vinnie said as he scrambled to his feet. His heart leapt when he saw that neither of the other mice wore collars like the ones that had been put around his neck.

"Take my hand, Vinnie. The bridge can be tricky the first time." The female, only a couple inches shorter than Vinnie, offered her hand as they turned to the shimmering portal they had stepped out of. "My name is Raven's Quest. Call for me if you loose my hand." She instructed very seriously.

"Don't worry," Vinnie said as he took her hand, gripping her as if his life depended on it. "I'm not letting go."

"Just call my name if anything happens." She repeated gently and stepped into the shimmering light, her hand gripping him just as strongly. For the first few moments all Vinnie could comprehend was a chaotic sparkling white lights.

Raven's Quest held his hand tightly as shock and confusion loosened his grip for a moment before his vision cleared to reveal a brilliant arched bridge of light through a off starscape.

"Come, Vinnie." She spoke gently, tugging his hand to walk the bridge of light.

"What the hell?" Vinnie's voice was filled with stunned awe as the she-mouse led him along.

"It's a trick we know, for travel." She explained gently, her form and voice distorted by the environment. "Just a few more steps, Vinnie." Raven's Quest said gently as she guided him onto a smaller band of light with a shimmering portal at the other end.

At that point she could have led him straight back to the prison camps, or even the palace gladiatorial pits, he was so overwhelmed by his surroundings. Even so he never let his grip waver, and she found it easy enough to guide him through the portal to their destination.

As the distortion of the portal faded he felt strong arms and a tail wrap around him in a welcoming hug. Tawny fur, a familiar scent and shades gave an identity before Throttle's voice did.

"It is _good_ to have you back, Bro."

"Throttle? I didn't think ..." Strength suddenly deserted the white mouse, he sagged forward into Throttle's grip and buried his face against his neck.

"It's okay, Bro." Throttle said soothingly as he picked Vinnie up and carried him inside, settling him in a large hammock in the middle of the room before maneuvering in next to him to hold his Bro.

"We're out," Vinnie murmured softly, over and over again. He still didn't quite believe it.

"Yes, Bro. We are out. We're safe here." Throttle reassured him as he held the shell-shocked mouse. "The tribes will protect us. Will you let me get that collar off now?"

"Gods yes," Vinnie said throatily. "Please."

"You'll need to stand, Bro. Or I will carry you." Throttle told him. "The device is in another house."

"I think I can make it," Vinnie replied, a shadow of his usual stubbornness returning.

"Good." Throttle smiled at him, shifting out of the hammock as Vinnie got his first real look around. The 'house' they were in was little more than a grass-sided cylinder with a thatch and palm-leave roof. The hammock itself was one of two in the space, and there was very little else. Only a handful of weapons and armor gave any hint this wasn't a stone age building.

Vinnie reached one hand out to Throttle's shoulder to steady himself as he got to his feet, still a little shaky. "I didn't think you'd come," the white mouse admitted softly.

"I'm sorry it took me so long." Throttle put a strong hand over the white one on his shoulder. "But we're free now, and maybe even with a ticket back to Mars."

"Really?" As always, the mention of home over-rode Vinnie's interest in anything else. "How?"

"You know that light bridge you came over to get here?" Throttle asked as he helped the white mouse out of the hammock with minimal difficulty. "They can stretch between worlds, if you know where you are going."

"Do we know?" Suddenly Vinnie was full of doubt. "I mean I kinda know which way to go, but how close do we have to be?"

"I know what's needed to make the connection, but a good deal of preparation must happen first. That long a trip is not something you can just go do." Throttle explained as they walked into the large open space between the ring of grass and thatch buildings.

"Did that girl come with you?" Vinnie asked softly.

"No, she wished to stay where she was." Throttle shook his head, his body suddenly stiffening at the glint of metal in a familiar format.

"I can't imagine why," Vinnie said derisively, looking up as he felt the change in Throttle. "Hey isn't ... it couldn't be."

"Modo!" Throttle's voice carried strongly across the field. "That you Bro?"

The gray mouse spun around seeking to pinpoint the familiar voice, revealing the prosthetic eye and eye patch as he did so. Spotting the bros he never thought he'd see again he came running across the field toward them, and was met half way there by two equally stunned Biker Mice.

"Modo?" Vinnie found his voice first. "Gods Modo it's really you."

"Throttle, Vinnie?" Modo said in disbelief. "Oh man, it's good to see you guys." He said as he tried to hug them both at once, overwhelmed in a good way.

"Damn, Bro. How'd you end up here?" Throttle asked as he thumped the big mouse on the back.

"Not the same way we did I hope," Vinnie said sincerely.

"Well, I crashed here if that's what you mean." Modo said, still smiling. "Came down in the sea near here, these guys pulled me out. Took me a week to get the salt water out. I've been with 'em since then." He said easily. "Never thought I'd see either of you again."

"Sweet shade, it is good to be together again." Throttle breathed a sigh of relief. "How long have you been here?"

Modo thought about it for a moment. "Be seven months next week. Damn, I'd really kind of forgotten till you guys showed up." He said with a broad smile, not noticing as a shorter reddish-brown Mouse came up behind him.

"Modo-ra," a strong but young voice entered the gathering, earning an extremely startled look from Throttle. "Your Bros?"

"Yes, Thildon-ra." Modo smiled at the black-eyed mouse. "This is Throttle and Vinnie." He said indicating them in turn. "Bros, this is Thildon, my mate." He said affectionately.

"Mate?" Throttle nearly choked, staring at the significantly younger mouse in shock. He shook his head quickly. "Congrats, Bro. Looks like you made a hell of a catch."

"Figures he'd be the first one to settle down though," Vinnie said weakly, looking disturbingly pale.

"Yeah, that I did." Modo grinned, and then looked at Vinnie with some concern. "You okay, Bro? You look pale, even for you."

"Let's get that collar off him." Throttle focused instantly on his Bro.

"I think I need to sit down," he replied shakily, his body beginning to tremble in Throttle's arms again.

"Okay, Bro." Throttle replied instantly, moving back to the building they'd just been in.

"I think you need to lie down, bro." Modo, said concerned.

"I'll be okay," Vinnie told the gray mouse, having to remember he was looking at Modo and not Throttle. The reassurance might have been more effective if he'd been able to keep his voice steady. "Throttle'll take care of me."

" _We'll_ take care of you Bro." Throttle said

"Yes, I'm sure." Modo smiled as Vinnie was settled back in the hammock. "Doesn't mean I'm not gonna look out for you too. We're bros, after all."

"I'll get the healer." Thildon said quietly before darting off.

"I'm okay," Vinnie protested weakly. "Today's just been ... and the last week or so." His grip around Throttle's shoulders tightened as the white mouse tried to keep himself upright.

"You are _not_ okay, Bro." Throttle said with soft sternness. "Now lie down."

"Just lay back in the hammock, Vinnie." Modo said gently. "Thildon will be back with the healer shortly."

"What happened?" The softly commanding voice of Summer's Green preceded the matronly healer's appearance, followed by the smaller rusty mouse.

"For fuck's sake," Vinnie muttered softly. "I'm gonna be okay. I just need to take it easy a bit."

"Not sure ma'am." Modo said with his usual respect for the healer. "But he became quite pale suddenly."

"I'll be the judge of that, young'un." The old mouse walked up to Vinnie and began to gently examine him.

The white mouse sighed softly and submitted himself to her examination, convinced everyone as making to big a deal out of it.

"He is correct." She smiled gently and turned to take a small leather pouch from her healing kit and handed it to Throttle. "He needs rest, calm, and if you can get him to drink a palm full of these herbs mixed with water, it will help him recover faster." She fixed her black eyes on Throttle. "That means no fooling around."

"Urr, umm, yes ma'am." The tawny mouse swallowed and nodded.

"He's not gonna do anything like that," Vinnie told her, probably the most confident thing he'd said since he arrived. "I just need some rest."

"And you're going to get it too." Modo said firmly, not quite sure what was going on between his two bros. He didn't think he'd ever seen Vinnie show an interest in males.

She gave the tawny mouse a curious look and shrugged. "The white one is correct. Let him rest, make sure he eats and drinks. I'll have Meesha bring the kit to remove his collar before dinner."

Despite what he'd just said Vinnie's hand snaked out to grab Throttle's wrist. "Stay," he insisted quietly.

"I'm not going anywhere, Bro." He snaked his tail up to wrap around a white wrist as Summer's Green made her way out.

Modo watched the interplay between the two curiously, wondering what had happened, but seeing that Vinnie was in no shape for story telling.

"Modo-ra," Thildon spoke softly, watching the pair. "Will they den with us?"

"They're my bros, Thildon-ra." Modo said softly. "But something has changed, and I'm not sure how it changes things." He said quietly enough that only his mate heard him.

"Come, mate." Thildon said softly, winding his tail around Modo's waist. "Let's prepare our den for the extra kin."

"Yeah, get some rest Vinnie. Look after him Throttle." He said softly. "It's really great to have you back, Bros."

"We will be back," Thildon smiled at the pair as he guided his mate out. "Rest well, brother."

Vinnie sighed softly as they left, leaving him and Throttle alone. The white mouse let go of his bro, closing his eyes and trying to relax in the hammock.

"Just when I thought things were turning out," He said softly. "Damn but I hate this planet."

Throttle looked at his Bro in confusion. "What did you think would turn out?"

"Everything. I mean, we got out of that place, we found Modo at last, we thought we had a way to get home." Vinnie sighed. "Pretty good."

"Yeah, we're still free, Modo's here, and we have the same chance of getting home." He shook his head, utterly at a loss. "What's going wrong?"

"Don't tell me you didn't see them Throttle," Vinnie said, darker emotions running beneath his voice. "I mean I don't know what the deal is with Modo, maybe he lost his mind a little, being alone. I saw their eyes Throttle, the whole lot of them are skinchangers."

A deep sigh escaped the tawny mouse. "I know, Bro." He said softly. "It's why I could call on them for help."

"Help? We need help now Throttle, if we can get it. Gods, Modo's been here seven months. Who knows what they've done to him?"

"Treated him very well, from the look of thing." Throttle shook his head. "Look Bro, like them on principle or not, they're Martian Mice, and they pulled your sorry tail out of a fatal situation no one else could because I claimed you as kin."

"They're not mice, they're ... even the gods wouldn't know what those things are." Vinnie's voice was grave and completely serious, a rare event. "I'll feel a hell of a lot better when we can get Modo away."

"Do you trust me to deal with this situation?" Throttle asked soft, just as gravely serious.

"Sure," Vinnie said, though not as quickly as he'd used to when the question came up. "Just don't forget what we're dealing with."

"I can never forget that, Bro." He promised quietly. "But not pissing these folks off is even more important than not pissing the palace folk off." Throttle said very sternly. "If it is handled correctly, we can simply walk away, with no one out to hunt us."

"They lied to you, you know. They can't get us home. If they could they would have gone themselves."

"To what, Bro?" The tawny mouse asked honestly. "To the same kind of war of extermination we faced at Plutarkian hands? To a dead world when they have this place? What reason would they have to return after six generations?"

"You're the one saying they're mice," Vinnie replied. "If they were they'd want to go home, just like we do."

"They want to live." Throttle countered simply.

"Sure, whatever," Vinnie said, shaking his head. "Mars is better off without them anyway. I can't believe they thought we were fucking."

"What is so impossible to believe about that, Bro?" Throttle looked at him sharply. "Modo took a male mate, and whether you return the interest or not, I do find you interesting that way."

"Modo's screwing one of those ... things!" Vinnie snapped back viciously, though he calmed down afterwards. "She said some stuff about you though."

"I expect so." He said softly, not at all liking the timing of this conversation.

"It was ... I had other things on my mind."

"It's enough that it's bugging you Bro." Throttle prompted quietly. "Biker Mice stick together."

"But we didn't, did we?"

"Vinnie, we did our best." Throttle sighed. "And we're back together now."

"Yeah. I guess you're right."

"Of course I'm right, Bro." He squeezed the white mouse's shoulder. "Sometimes we have to do things we're less than happy about, to make things happen the way they need to. Be civil to these people. They can get us home, and they're protecting us from that sadist. Just getting us out of the palace and feeding us is worth a little cooperation."

"You ... all right," Vinnie conceded, clearly unhappy about it. "For a while."

"A while is all we need, Bro." Throttle said softly. "Just try to keep that temper of your under control. No one is going to force you here."

"They'd better not try anything," Vinnie scowled. "Or there'll be trouble."

"A lot of it." Throttle nodded, a deadly serious edge on his voice. "But you remember that interest or asking is not 'trying something'. You've got the looks that will draw interest here like everywhere."

"They can fucking well keep their hands to themselves!" Vinnie replied, getting worked up again. "I'm not about to sleep with a skinchanger."

"Calm down Vincent Van Wham." Throttle growled low in his throat. "That is not what I'm talking about accepting and you know it. You just say no when you're asked."

"You've talked about accepting some fucking insane things recently," Vinnie pointed out.

Throttle glared at him for a moment before standing. "And if you think they were the wrong choices to get us out of a bad spot, you can leave. I'm staying with Modo and going back to Mars." He said with a snap of his tail and stalked out. "Unfuck your head Bro, then come talk to me about insane things."

* * *

"Love, what is wrong?" Thildon asked gently as he wrapped his tail around the bigger mouse's waist when they were in the relative privacy of their grass-walled home.

Modo sighed and put his flesh arm around his mate. "Just don't get it. We spent so long trying to find each other, and now it's like Vin doesn't want me around. We're supposed to be Bros." He said, trying sum up why he was so upset.

"He knows what I am, love." Thildon gently brought the metal arm around him too, before embracing the big gray mouse. "I saw it in him. He hates us on principle."

Modo sighed. "I was trying to avoid that thought. I wanted to think my Bros were better than that." He said holding the reddish-brown mouse close.

"He didn't try to kill me, he can learn." Thildon said softly. "He'll be alone if he can't, and you'll still have one Bro, and us."

"I hope he can learn." Modo said quietly. "Vin can be so stubborn. At least Throttle's okay with it, though he seemed pretty surprised." He smiled lightly.

"Well, we did just drop a hell of a surprise on him." Thildon grinned and stretched up to kiss his mate. "For an unblooded outsider to have a full Garou as a mate is going to surprise the blazes out of everyone who didn't know beforehand."

"You know I've been thinking about that." Moto said quietly. "I think there might be Garou in me, but it's really faint. Three or four generations back at least, if some of the stuff I remember my gray-furred mama telling me is right. Stuff I heard so long ago, that it took seven months to work its way out."

That made Thildon blink in real surprise. "I won't say impossible, but you didn't scan as kinfolk, love." He guided the big mouse to lay in their large double hammock with him. "Do you remember what she said?"

"It was back when I was real young, must have been the first time I ever heard about the hatred. I think I repeated something I heard at school, the way youngsters are prone to, and mama caught me up short. Asked me if I knew what I was talking about." He smiled softly. "She said hatred is bad enough but ignorant hatred is worse and it wasn't something she was gonna tolerate in her son. Then she said something softly about it not being right to hate kin, no matter how distant. Never thought much about it then, though I always had to watch my temper on the subject." He smiled. "Also remember mama being real anxious when my younger brother was due to be born. She looked him over real careful when the midwife handed him to her and said 'No sign.' real softly, seriously relieved." He said, going through the memories.

Thildon thought for a moment, digesting that against what he knew had been done when his mate first arrived. "Would you tell this Summer's Green, Chief Urrmi and KillFrost?" He asked softly, very seriously. "It is very important, love, if what you think is true."

"Of course, love, if it's that important." He said softly, nuzzling his mate that quickly turned into a sweetly gentle kiss.

"It's more important than when our mating was acknowledged by the elders, love."

"Even though it's that distant?" He asked curiously, remembering how important that acknowledgement had been.

"The blood is recessive, love." Thildon explained quietly, though he couldn't conceal all of his excitement at the idea. "Like your mama not being a shifter but worrying that her son might be, your kits could be Garou. Being kinfolk is much more important than being a Garou's mate. You could contribute to the rebirth of our kind."

Moto smiled. "That'd be good." He said quietly. "Do I talk to them all at once? How should I go about this?" He asked softly, wanting to this right because of how much it clearly mattered to Thildon.

The rusty mouse forced himself to calm down before answering. "You need to remember what she said, if there was anything about a particular territory or animal your family is tied to or seems to like. The more you can tell them, the easier this will be. Just tell them what you told me, answer their questions, and try to relax when KillFrost does her thing."

"When should I tell them, and can you be there when this is going on?" He asked, a touch nervous suddenly.

"I'm definitely going to be there. I'm the one who will be bringing it to their attention." Thildon held his mate comfortingly. "I'll repeat what you told me, and ask them to consider your heritage again. If they agree, they will ask you to tell them why you think you may be kinfolk, and why you didn't bring it up when you found out about us." He nuzzled the big mouse reassuringly. "It'll be okay, love. You've got manners drilled into you. That's all you need. There's no real script for this."

"Okay, love." Modo said, nuzzling his mate back. "Its kind of weird, that what worried mama could actually turn out to be a good thing. I think she'd like that."

"Your mama didn't want to persecuted for her blood." He murmured, kissing the big mouse with gentle passion. "One last roll before you are kinfolk, love?"

"You know I'm always up for that." He grinned, as his tail sliding under the rusty mouse's loincloth to curl around his mate's balls in a gentle caress.

"Still polite to ask." Thildon rumbled, his own tail working up to loosen Modo's soft leather pants. "With your Bros close enough to hear if we get too noisy.

"They know we're mates." He said quietly. "Though I got the impression that some people around here think Vinnie and Throttle are mates." He chuckled at the idea of Vinnie letting anyone fuck him.

"Throttle wants it, acts like it." Thildon shrugged slightly as his tail deftly removed the soft dark blue leather covering his mate's legs. "With Vinnie out of it, it's is a courtesy to assume mate-rights for him. As close as you three are, you deserve them. You're tighter than any pack I know of."

"We were." Modo said quietly. "But we've never been mates, or even fooled around. And Vinnie is strictly females only, aggressively so. Either Throttle's interest is new, or he just kept it hid for years." He murmured, as he worked his tail between his mate's legs to tease at the pucker of his asshole.

"He's kept bigger secrets." Thildon murred as his hands explored Modo's body, as keenly interested in it as their first time together. "If Vinnie is so aggressive about it, he probably has kept it under wraps."

Modo put a few things together, as his hand gently caressed his mate's back. "Throttle's Garou isn't he?" He asked softly, though his tone made it statement as much as question.

"Kinfolk," the smaller warrior nodded slightly. "First generation. His mother's glory is known even here, though she fought on Mars. Death Angel of the Golden Night Sept was the finest alpha and warrior in history."

"Gods, that's gotta make it rough dealing with Vinnie's hatred." He said quietly. "Funny though, I've always felt closer to Throttle." He mused softly.

"He's a leader, he'll manage, if anyone can." Thildon said softly. "Vinnie is the one in for the rough time. He has to adjust, or loose everything."

"I hope he adjusts." Modo said softly, nuzzling his mate. "Especially since Throttle's in love with him."

"He loves you to, Modo." Thildon said softly, his hands playing over hard muscle and mechanical parts with equal tenderness.

"Not the same way, I'm guessing." He smiled. "We're bros and there's love in that." He said quietly.

"Maybe," he smiled and kissed Modo affectionately. "But don't be shy if he wants to kiss you."

"I won't, as long as you don't mind." He said, after holding the kiss for a little while.

"He's your Bro." Thildon smiled affectionately. "I can't object to you being closer to him. Besides, he has a really cute ass."

"That he does." Modo chuckled, as the realization hit him that he'd never really considered Throttle in that light before. "And so do you." He murred, running his hand down his mate's back to caress the ass in question.

"Mmm, and you like to use that ass, don't you?" Thildon rumbled, pushing back into the contact.

"You know it, love." Modo rumbled deeply and slipped his hand under his mate's tail to stroke the furless pucker as Thildon shifted to put his back to his mate's chest and pressed back against Modo's groin.

Modo nuzzled his mate's neck, as he pressed his swelling sheath against the younger mouse's ass. While they ground together, he reached his hand around to fondle his mate's full sheath and balls drawing several low moans from the rusty mouse.

The big gray mouse smiled, and pressed the tip of his now fully hard cock against the entrance to his mate until it slid inside as he pulled him back towards him.

"Ohhh, yeah." Thildon moaned deeply, wrapping his tail around Modo's hips, pulling them tighter and giving him some control over the thrusting. Moto began moving his hips thrusting into his mate, as his tail played up the inside of the younger tom's thigh to fondle and caress his cock and balls while Thildon moaned and reached back to claim dark gray fur just to have something for his hands to do as he quickly reached the edge in the rhythmic swaying of the hammock.

Modo's moans became louder and closer together as he approached the edge, his thrusts quickening. Suddenly, one moan turned into a deep chested roar as the big mouse emptied his seed into his smaller mate. Thildon whimpered softly but held out, waiting for his mate to catch his breath.

"Cover your back, love?" He asked hotly, his tail teasing Modo's hole.

"Oh, yeah." Modo rumbled, turning in the hammock so his back was against Thildon's chest. "Give it to me, love." He murred as he wrapped his tail around Thildon's waist.

"Any time you want, ra-ka." He whispered and sank into the warm, tight space, trembling as he avoid coming immediately.

Modo moaned as he felt the pleasant sense of fullness he got with Thildon buried in his ass. There was a moment of stillness before Thildon began to thrust; slow, gentle strokes indented to keep the rusty mouse hard as long as possible.

The big gray mouse relaxed into the slow, gentle rhythm, enjoying the sensations. He rumbled and moaned in arousal as his mate continued thrusting.

"Oh, sweet Mars." Thildon groaned against Modo's shoulders as he pressed close against the bigger male, his arms sliding up to embrace his chest as his tail kept Modo's hips in place.

"Oh, yeah." Modo moaned, as he ran his hands tenderly along the smaller male's arms.

* * *

Modo and Thildon were finishing up setting up when a scratching on the flap drew their attention.

"Come in." Modo replied.

"Hi, Bro." Throttle smiled to see the pair. "How's it going?"

"Pretty good." Moto smiled. "You've been arguing with Vin, haven't you?" He asked worriedly, though there wasn't any disapproval, just concern.

"Yeah," the naked mouse dropped unceremoniously into one of the smaller hammocks. "He can be so pig-headed sometimes. I don't _get_ it."

"Can't say I do either, Bro." He said putting his flesh hand on Throttle's shoulder supportively. "'Cause he just bought into all the propaganda too solidly to think for himself." He said with trace of sadness.

"It's not just that Bro." Throttle sighed, desperately wishing he could close his eyes and block out the world for a little while. "Ever since we crashed here he's done _everything_ in his power to make things worse for himself, and us. You have any idea how bad it has to be that I can't bribe our way out of a prison? I know he doesn't like guys, but damn, how can that be worth being tortured and raped, then sent to the pits? And drag me with him."

"Bro, he probably viewed it as getting raped either way." He sighed. "Vin's pride has always been his weakness. In his mind, death was probably preferable to submitting to rape." He said softly, rubbing the tawny mouse's shoulder comfortingly. "And he probably didn't get that they'd punish you for his actions, its not the way he thinks."

"No, probably not, even after being told and watching it." The tawny mouse shuddered. "Gods, I'm glad he was far enough drugged out he didn't remember what I did to stop them from touching him."

"You did what you had to." Modo said reassuringly. "Same as we both have always done to survive, and protect each other."

"I know," He murmured. "It's just not a lot of comfort right now, knowing he'd rather take the pain than that kind of pleasure. But he was begging for it to stop. I couldn't stand hearing him like that. Vision is blazen _evil_."

"The palace is evil." Modo said quietly. "Vision is merely a facet." He shook his head, going on the few stories he'd heard. "Throttle, for him it isn't pleasure." He said sighing. "And he's not the most adaptable mouse."

"I'm figuring that out." Throttle shuddered. "This isn't going to be an easy transition. From the look of things here, the stories of the hidden tribes that would retake Mars are true."

"That's what they've told me." Modo said easily. "There are more Mice on these islands than there are on Mars."

"And all Garou or kinfolk, I expect." He smiled nostalgically. "Gods, it's good to be among kin again."

"Yeah, I like it here too." He said sincerely, with an affectionate smile for Thildon. "My 'outlandish' ideas don't get me into trouble here." He chuckled, remembering the first conversation he and Thildon had had.

"Still think that's one of the sickest things Mars ever came up with. Tolerance being outlandish." Throttle spat, his temper rising again before he controlled it. "Shouldn't be taking this out on you Bro."

"It's okay, Bro." Modo said softly. "I happen to agree. And if you can't vent to your Bro, who can you vent to?"

"No one I should be." He managed a momentary grin. "I am _so_ not looking forward to when Vinnie's problems can't be delayed anymore."

Modo nodded. "Yeah, its not gonna be good. But you can only protect him so far. Right now, I don't even trust myself to talk to him." He sighed deeply. "After all the three of us have been through together."

"It's going to be an issue of heritage that could break us apart." He shook his head. "It's just not right."

"If he's not willing to see things the way they really are, I don't see a solution." Modo said softly, his voice full of regret. "He's already rejected me."

"Not completely, Bro." Throttle reached out to touch him.

"You think so?" Modo asked tiredly, leaning into the touch. "He doesn't even want me around."

"I think that had more to do with wanting me alone, Bro." Throttle said softly. "We just went through a lot together."

"Maybe, but there was something in the way he looked at me." He said quietly. "Been a long time since somebody looked at me like that."

"He saw me, my eyes, when he looked at you." Thildon said softly. "He hates ... I've never seen that kind of hate. Not even in Far Walk, and she turned the spiral."

"I have." Modo said quietly. "Same reason, just never thought Vinnie had that kind of sickness in him."

"A sickness I don't know how to cure." Throttle murmured painfully. "We always killed them to stop it. I can't do that, let it happen. Not to him."

"I don't know either, Bro." Modo sighed. "Just sounds like Vinnie's intent on getting himself killed one way or another. We've never had to protect Vinnie from Vinnie like this before."

"We have to, Bro." Throttle leaned against the bigger mouse. "He's our Bro. Sick or not, he's ours. I won't abandon him because he's sick."

"I know." Modo said putting an arm around his Bro. "It's just more complicated then it used to be. But we'll figure something out."

"Or someone smarter than us will." He signed and leaned into the contact, coming down from his stay at the palace for the first time. "We can out-stubborn him if we have to."

"Oh, you'll figure something out." Modo said confidently, as he held the tawny mouse. "You always do."

"We'll just out-stubborn him if we have to." He repeated resolutely. "I am _not_ going to loose him after all this."

* * *

"Hello, Vinnie." A pleasant female voice called to him after dark, smells of flavorful food wafting in with her rounded form and sexy walk.

"Hey," The white mouse replied non-commitally from the hammock where he'd dozed for most of the day.

"Up for eating something?" The pretty blond furred mouse sat down next to him, a tray with fruit, meat and two bowls in her hands. "You look a lot better than when you got pulled out of that hell-hole."

"I am kinda hungry," he admitted. "The only time they brought me food back there was when they wanted to screw me."

"Ewe," she made a decidedly distasteful face and held the tray out to him. "Well no one here is going to touch you like that unless you want to bed them. And if anyone tries, you _tell_. Your Bros and the chief. It's a serious offence."

"I can take care of myself," he said as he took the tray, setting it across his lap. "Don't worry."

"I expect you can." she smiled gently with a glance over his prone form. "You're obviously as much a warrior as either of them."

"I've always fought," he replied, "Even before the Plutarkians and the resistance."

"I expect so." She smiled, light blue eyes sparkling in the firelight.

"This meat is good," Vinnie commented, licking his fingers. "What is it?"

"Shy Bird." She smiled, her tail flicking playfully in the air. "They are very large, flightless birds that fish the waters here. It's considered a difficult catch."

"It'd want to be, tasting like this," Vinnie chuckled.

"A good cook helps with that too." She chuckled. "My name is Path."

"Path? That's an odd name for a mouse. I'm Vinnie Van Wham."

"It's mine." She shrugged. "How'd you end up in that pit?"

"I had a disagreement with the sicko in charge," he told her.

"I meant with that nasty thing in the first place." She motioned at his collar.

"Oh," Vinnie said thinking about it for the first time. "I think they drugged us. Voyd said he was going to try and send us back home across the Ley. That's pretty much the last thing I remember."

"Well, if you feel strong enough when you're finished eating, we can get it off."

"That'd be good," he nodded. "Some clothes wouldn't hurt."

Path blinked. "If you don't mind a marginal fit, I can grab something for you now."

"I haven't worn anything since I woke up on this planet," Vinnie said.

"Is that a 'I don't mind if it only sort of fits'?" She asked uncertainly.

"Yeah, I guess it is," Vinnie nodded. "We can sort something else out once we get home."

"I'll be back in a bit then." Path smiled at him and left, moving quickly without rushing. She returned a few minutes later with an armful of leathers and cloth. "I wasn't sure what you'd prefer, so I brought a couple choices. They should all fit respectably well until a set is made for you."

Vinnie drew himself up into a sitting position and started going through the pile. "Hey this looks like ... it is! A dress! I am not wearing a dress." Continuing on he found something that was more to his tastes, an open jacket and a loose pair of pants.

"What do you think?" He asked once he was dressed.

"The vest is very nice." She smiled, honestly appreciating the look. "It's a shame to cover that much of your body up, but it looks pretty good. Definitely needs to be in creams and kalli green though." She commented absently as she regarded the outfit, walking around him critically. "You'll need boots to go with it too."

"I don't think we'll be hanging around long," the white mouse replied as he settled back in the hammock, sitting rather than lying down.

"I don't think Summer's Green will want you beginning such a journey before lunch." Path looked at him seriously. "Just getting the supplies sorted out will take a few says."

"Maybe," Vinnie nodded. "We won't be getting comfortable is what I'm saying."

"That's you're choice, Vinnie. You are welcome here." She smiled gently at him. "Want to get that ugly thing off now?"

"Please, yes. We were going to get it off this morning, but I wasn't quite up to it."

"Well feel free to lean against me if you don't feel great." She said and turned to lead him out. "You should get that thing off."

"I'm a lot more steady now," Vinnie told her confidently, glancing around nervously as he stepped out of the hut. "I really can take care of myself."

"Of course you can." Path nodded easily and led him across the open compound to a grass construct like any other in the circle. She waved and greeted all those who passed, mice of all ages and descriptions, though shining black eyes and combat confidence were probably with a third of those he saw.

He tried not to let his feelings show, for Throttle's sake, but his hands curled into fists when he saw those black eyes staring back. He cast his gaze back down to the ground, following Path's feet rather than look at those faces any longer than he had to.

Path clearly noticed, though she remained silent as she scratched on the door flap of one of the buildings, then entered, motioning Vinnie to follow. The white mouse stepped through, relaxing a little as the flap fell closed behind him.

"How does this thing come off anyway? I spent a long time fiddling with it but I could never get it to budge." He asked as his eyes feel on a pair of glass black eyes set in a black face, speckled with the gray of age.

"A chemical reaction sealed it, another removes it." The older mouse fem said simply. "Kneel with your back to me, kit, and it will be off shortly."

Vinnie didn't say anything, but the muscles in his jaw bulged as he turned around and got to his knees, every single motion carefully choreographed.

"You think I am a skin-shifter." The ender female said as he felt the warmth of her hand just below the collar then a sizzling, popping sound.

"You don't want to know what I think," Vinnie replied, a dark and threatening note audible in his voice.

"I see," she murmured as the golden strip fell to the ground at his knees with a clank. "All done, kit."

"Good," Vinnie said shortly as he got back to his feet, running a hand around his neck where the collar had been.

"You don't seem to have any abrasion damage, but I'm sure Summer will want to check it out and apply some cream anyway."

"I will be fine," Vinnie insisted, seemingly for the millionth time, before he stepped out of the hut. He heard Path thank the black female before following him out.

"They all look the same," he said in embarrassed frustration, waving his arm at the circle of huts. "I don't remember which one I was in."

"That one," she pointed across the circle. "There are markers, they just aren't the huts themselves."

"Right," he said, making his way around the outside at a determined pace, Path quietly at his heals until the flap closed behind them. Vinnie was muttering something under his breath as he at back down, picking over the remains of the food she'd brought in before.

"She's not a skin-shifter, Vinnie."

"Don't bullshit me!" Vinnie hissed violently, angrily. "You think I've never seen things like that before? You think I don't realize Modo's sleeping with one of those filthy beasts?"

"Thildon is a shifter, Narra is not." She said simply, ignoring his outburst."

Vinnie scowled, pacing back and forth in the confines of the hut. "Don't bullshit me," he repeated.

"Why would I?" She looked at him quietly, utterly calm in the face of his emotional storm.

"Why the fuck wouldn't you? Living here with Blackeyes. Shit, you're probably one yourself."

"Hope. Not a shifter, not a Blackeye, and nothing to gain that I can think of by lying to you right now."

"Get out of my face," Vinnie scowled, still visibly agitated.

"All right." Path shrugged and turned to leave. "I'm sure your Bro will be by eventually."

* * *

"Evening, Bro." Throttle's voice was even and calm as he entered the hut several hours after Path had left.

"Is it? I guess my sense of time is still kinda screwed up."

"A couple hours past dinner." The tawny mouse nodded and sat down on a pile of soft fibers on the form, dressed in a loincloth and vest similar to Vinnie's.

"I ate before," Vinnie told him, lying in the hammock with his arms crossed over his chest. "I'm not hungry."

"You're riled though." He made the simple statement of fact.

"You knew I would be."

"Yeah, I did, Bro." He nodded. "Ready to vent?"

"We've been through this. I'm gonna say it's impossible, and you're gonna say we have to bide our time. It's exactly what happened back in that room," Vinnie let the frustrations that had been building since their arrival start to show. "Damn it Throttle, one of those things is fucking Modo. It's putting itself inside him. How the fuck can you be okay with that?"

"I am, because Modo is." He shook his head.

"Modo's been here for months. For all we know he never had a choice, just like us."

"No one is holding us here, Bro." Throttle pointed out quietly. "I've only asked you to stay for a while."

"We're going home Throttle. Soon. You, and me and Modo, and we'll leave the beasts here to do whatever the hell they want."

"You'll have to take that up with Modo." Throttle said simply. "But you are right about going home, and soon."

"How soon?"

"When the supplies for a month long march through hostile territory can be put together."

"Hostile territory? Yeah, I guess they'd be guarding that bridge thing." Vinnie chewed at his lower lip as thought about it. "This isn't gonna be easy. Blackeyes pack a hell of a punch."

Throttle sighed and shook his head, the sick knot in his gut starting to wear on his tolerance. "Hostile territory is the path itself. There's no one to guard where it opens."

"It's home Throttle," Vinnie said, his tone softer than any he'd used since the other mouse came in. "If the stinkers aren't gone by now ... if we didn't take care of them ... then there's not gonna be much left."

"They aren't completely gone." Throttle informed him. "But there is very little left anyway."

"How do know that?"

"I keep track of them, as I can." He sighed slightly.

"Months," Vinnie muttered, letting it slide. "You mean I'm gonna have to be around these Blackeyes for months?"

"Say that again and I will deck you, Bro." Throttle couldn't keep it down anymore.

"Fucking hell," Vinnie muttered, getting to his feet. "Here we go again. Why don't you take a good shot Throttle? Fucking Blackeyes. Filthy beasts, animals pretending to be ...." The rest of the white mouse's rant was cut off by a fist landing squarely at his jaw with the full force Throttle could put behind it. Vinnie's head snapped around, the white mouse staggering a couple of steps but staying on his feet.

"Pretending to be mice," Vinnie snarled as he lashed out with a blow of his own, his fist arcing into Throttle's stomach. Despite doubling the tawny mouse over, the blow barely registered as Vinnie was treated to a new sight: the flicker of red rage behind Throttle's green shades as a tail wrapped around his neck from behind and Throttle dropped to the ground, forcing him off balance. He stumbled, reaching out for one of the poles that supported the hammock to steady himself. At the same time he reached his other hand behind his neck, grabbing hold of the flexible appendage and twisting it in an attempt to force it to release him.

While the maneuver would have worked, he didn't get the time before the tail and body controlling it flung him through the grass wall. Vinnie's body hit the ground and rolled into the darkness outside the circular encampment, lying still for a moment and gasping for breath. Before he could regain his feet a monstrous form exploded from the hut, landing squarely on top of the white mouse to an incredible amount of commotion around them.

"Some of us pretend very well, Bro." Throttle's voice, deeper and very angry, rumbled from the tawny beast above him.

"No," Vinnie's voice was raw, his body doing it's best to get out from under the weight holding him against the ground. "No, not you."

"You probably know of my mother, Bro." The Throttle-monster didn't let him up, hatred and pain dripping from every line and word. "Death Angel of the Golden Night Sept. She died trying to make peace your kind. You skinned her alive and burned her body to the bone before dragging her behind a truck to dump with the trash. She never raised a claw. I watched the entire thing. This Blackeye monster found it in their soul to forgive and protect a Van Wham. You that much of a mouse, Bro? To be better than a Blackeye monster pretending to be a mouse?"

After several deep breaths to collect himself from his own rant Lumari-Throttle let the white mouse up and slowly shifted to his mouse form in a landscape of utter still silence. The white body in front of him curled in on it itself, arms and tail curling in around his body and hiding his face.

"Stay or go, Bro." Throttle said quietly. "You stay, you put that sick part of your soul away. You go, I won't spare you when we face off over Mars."

There was still no reply, but the white mouse slowly got to his feet, his tail wrapped tight around his own waist. He couldn't make himself look back up as Throttle walked off and the mood of the village went from shock to excitement that Death Angel's surviving kit was a shifter.

Vinnie let them all go, glad not to be the center of attention anymore. He stood in the darkness, tears beginning to fall as he turned away from the encampment and took his first lonely steps into the wilderness.

Modo ignored all the excitement and rushed to catch up with Throttle as he made his way to the rusty and black Lumari of the chief. "Bro, you all right?" He asked worriedly. "Damn, but that was impressive." He said admiringly.

"I guess." Throttle mumbled, quickly slipping into shock. "Mother has some bitchy timing."

Modo nodded, and put his arm around his Bro's shoulders. He didn't think Throttle looked in a good way, in fact he thought the mouse should be lying down. "I was really surprised to find out you're her son." He said quietly. "No wonder you're such a good leader, you came from one of the best." He said sincerely.

The tawny mouse nodded, then focused his full attention on the chief, who'd slipped back to homid.

"Path is watching him, Throttle-ki." Chief Urrmi preempted him gently. "All questions can wait until after you have rested." He said firmly. "Go with Thildon and rest. You will not be bothered." His gaze swept out over the rest of the village in a command.

Modo nodded. "Come on, Bro. You need to lie down." He said quietly, turning to guide his tawny bro back home, and getting no resistance from the unsteady mouse.

* * *

"Bro?" Throttle's voice was weak, tired and stressed as he shifted in the hammock. "Anything resembling food around?"

"I'll get you something." Modo said easily, standing.

"Thanks Bro." The tawny mouse mumbled and relaxed again.

A little while later Modo came back with a proper meal for Throttle. "Here you go, Bro." He said gently as the tawny mouse shifted to get up, settling on the ground with his back to a hammock support pole.

"Thanks." He took the tray. "Did you see what happened?"

"Got there at the end, right as you were letting Vin up." He said, sitting down near Throttle. "Saw you shift back from your umm... Lumari form, I think that's the right word." He said.

"Yes," Thildon nodded from the other side of the tawny mouse. "And a big one at that."

"That's what I thought happened." He shook his head and started eating, hungrier than he could remember being in a long time.

"I thought Kinfolk couldn't shift." Modo turned to Thildon curiously. "Of course, given who his mother was, maybe the rules are different."

"Not different, she just never accepted dieing a failure." Throttle said softly between bites. "She's never done _that_ before, but I'm her only surviving descendant."

Modo looked at him curiously. "What do you mean? Is she like, trying to take you over or something?" He couldn't help but feel a little worried.

"No, she's too dedicated to the cause to rest or go on before Mars is united again." Throttle sighed, never forgetting the food. "Since Dark Reign died, her focus fell to me to get it done. Usually she just rants and give pointers or info, mostly ranting, but she can make things happen through me sometimes."

"So she decided Vin need to have the pants scared off him?"

"She decided that words weren't working, and then I made the first punch, and he hit back and she caused the transformation to back up my words." Throttle murmured. "The next couple days ain't goina be fun. That took a lot out of me."

"Well, I'm here for your Bro." Modo said firmly. "Though there's something I gotta get sorted out. But it can probably wait a couple days, can't it?" He turned to look at Thildon questioningly.

"Of course." The rusty mouse nodded. "Everyone will understand." He smiled slightly. "They'll probably appreciate the time, given what just happened."

"Good." Modo smiled. "Don't want to upset the wrong people, but looking after my Bro comes first."

"Love, we understand. We're pack creatures. The pack comes first." He smiled gently. "And _everyone_ knows you two are even closer than that."

"Yeah, we've been through seven kinds of hell together." Modo smiled.

"Not much we _haven't_ been through together, Bro." Throttle wrapped his tail around Modo's waist gently.

"Yeah, that's true." Modo smiled fondly. "Good times and bad, we've seen it all."

"And soon we'll see the freeing and rebirth of Mars." Throttle smiled for real.

"With these folks, yeah I think we've finally got a shot at it." He said with a smile. "Gives us a chance to finish what we started."

"Those stinking fish-faces won't know what hit them." Throttle grinned dangerously.

"Too bad we don't have our bikes." Modo said thoughtfully.

"Probably still on Earth, with Charley and driving everyone nuts." Throttle managed a weak chuckle.

"Cops probably don't know what to make of a bike driving itself." He chuckled weakly. "At least they like Charley."

"And she's good at keeping them in shape." Throttle smiled. "Damn, I miss her. I don't think I ever really told her she was one of us. Our Sis."

"Oh, I think she knew." Modo smiled softly. "But yeah, I miss her too. Hope she's okay without us there to keep the fishfaces at bay."

"Somehow, I think they might be in more trouble now." Throttle said softly. "I saw something in her ... she was hiding to protect us."

"I hope so. They deserve trouble." Modo said, even though he didn't have a clue what Throttle was talking about.


	8. Village Fallout

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Recovery, a new companion, and Vinnie faces the consequences of his attitude.Again.

Almost the entire village watched Throttle follow the trail Path and the other watchers had left when shadowing the sick white mouse for two days and three nights.

"Come, love." Thildon said softly. "He must see to Vinnie, you can see to your heritage now.

Modo nodded, still a little distracted. "Right." He said agreeably as his mate led him to the chief's hut and scratched for admittance.

"Greetings, Elders." Thildon spoke first, as befitting his greater rank of the pair. "My mate believes himself kinfolk."

Despite being aware of roughly the nature of this, KillFrost raised an eyebrow.  
  "You challenge the results of the bloodscan?"

"I have reason to believe it may have been mistaken." Modo said with great deference to the spellweaver.

"Why?" Chief Urrmi regarded him with a shinny black eye.

"Things my mother said, and did when I was a child." He began politely. "Memories that served no purpose for most of my life, and have only recently surfaced."

"Tell us, Modo." KillFrost watched him curiously.

"The first was when my mother was correcting some of the falsehoods I'd heard at school. I remember her saying that it wasn't right to hate kinfolk, even if a little distant." He said as he struggled to keep the memories straight. "The second was when she was carrying my younger brother. I remember her being worried much of the time. And when the midwife placed him in her arms she looked him over very carefully for a long time, before saying 'No sign' very quietly. She relaxed a great deal after that. When I asked my older brother about it, he said she'd done the same thing when I was born." He paused, as he dragged the newest memory to surface forward. "The last thing is the midwife that saw to my mother. She wasn't the village midwife, in fact only a very few families actually used her services. And her response to my mother's 'no sign', was 'the blood is there, just quiet.'" He finished.

"What is your lineage?" KillFrost requested as she gathered power into a brilliant web before her.

Modo had to work on that one, since family history had never been his strong point. "Mother was Moira K'sendre, Father was Dorin T'cheya." He paused trying to remember his grandparents in the right order.

"Mother's line." KillFrost stated with a slightly zoned look on her angular face.

Modo concentrated and slowly came up with the names of his mother's parents, and his maternal grandmother's parents, and his maternal great-grandmother's parents.

"Ah, Star's Breath." KillFrost raised a bewildered eyebrow. "That at least makes some sense."

"It does?" Modo asked respectfully.

"She was a spell weaver of great power and skill." KillFrost smiled. "She protected her line by concealing it from all normal scans."

"Oh, so she was Garou?" He asked curious, and hopeful at the same time.

"Yes, a very powerful one." KillFrost smiled. "You have a very fine bloodline."

"Indeed." Urrmi murmured, locking his single eye with its counterpart. "Have you discussed the changes this will bring on your relationship with Thildon and your duties among us?"

"Not really." Modo said quietly. "How does it change my relationship with Thildon?" He asked respectfully.

"Directly, very little." Summer's Green spoke. "But the largest change will affect it. As Garou he had already contributed to the next generation when you met. As a commoner, you were not expected to. As kinfolk, you are."

"There is now an expectation on you to contribute as well." The chief said evenly. "The search for a suitable breeding partner will begin tonight."

"Suitable?" He asked, intensely curious with a distinct feeling this wasn't your usual dating routine.

"Has Thildon explained how we handle sex, reproduction and mating?" Summer's Green asked.

"Not really." Thildon shook his head. "It wasn't much of an issue."

"While all are welcome to reproduce with their mate, or anyone who is agreeable, all of blood are expected to breed with a partner that is most likely to produce Garou or gifted offspring." Summer's Green explained. "Over the seven generations we have held to this, we have grown strong with almost one kit in three being Garou. The standard was one in ten before."

"Since your blood is of a powerful spell weaver, one of similar background, or actual gift, will be selected as the mother." KillFrost continued. "Two litters, by two females, is expected of you."

Modo was a little surprised, he'd never heard it handled so clinically. He thought about it a moment, and in the end didn't see any real problem and the clinical detachment they applied certainly eliminated any danger of emotional entanglements. "Two litters by two females, I can handle that." He said levelly.

That brought a smiled to Thildon's face as his tail wrapped around his mate's waist, and general approval from the three elders present.

"Given your bloodline, more would be desired, if you find a female to your liking." KillFrost said softly. "But we've been telling your mate that for years." She smirked slightly at the young mouse.

"Anything is possible." Modo said with a smile, as his tail mimicked his mate's. "Does anything change besides this new responsibility?" He asked evenly.

"Your status will be kinfolk, with the increased voice in council and such." KillFrost smiled at him. "As you are already accepted into the tribes and village, less changes than for most."

"Though you can expect more interest when your lineage becomes known." Summer's Green chuckled.

"I think I can deal with that." Modo grinned.

"Yes, I think we will." Thildon chuckled. "Thank you elders."

"Yes, thank you." Modo said very politely.

* * *

"Can you believe it, Thildon-ra?" Modo said happily, sweeping his mate into his arms as they entered their home. "This is so incredible."

The rusty mouse chuckled and kissed him soundly. "I think you may be even more excited than I am, love."

Modo chuckled after the kiss broke. "Just makes some things make sense." He smiled happily.

"Oh?" Thildon raised and eyebrow with a grin. "Like what?"

"Oh, the fact I never really felt like I belonged." He said quietly. "Always felt out of sync with society. And I always felt drawn toward the Garou, but hostilities were so high I didn't dare approach them, not with what the others were doing to them. Guess maybe my blood knew something I didn't."

"Not too surprising," He smiled and wrapped his arms around Modo's neck to draw himself up for a kiss. "The blood often knows things we do not."

"Guess so." He smiled as he claimed a passionate kiss. "Kind of explains why I trusted Throttle so quickly, when I wasn't really trusting anyone." He added softly.

"And then he proved your instincts right." Thildon smiled. "I hope it works out with Vinnie, but the way he looked at me ...."

"Yeah, I know, love." He nuzzled Thildon reassuringly. "But he's gonna have to get over that sickness for things to work out. You're as much my Bro as he is, and more." He said, at the same he feared he'd have to make that choice.

"I never want you to face that choice, Modo-ra." He pressed close. "You've been through enough already. The war's all but over, you shouldn't loose a Bro now."

"I don't want to either." Modo said quietly, holding his mate close. "As stubborn and infuriating as Vin can be, he's still my Bro and he's a good mouse, mostly." He added, forced into recognizing the darkness in his Bro.

"I'm sure he is, or neither of you would count him your Bro." Thildon said softly. "But that is a great sickness to overcome. There are those here that struggle with it, from the other side. Little would please them more than to have the ban lifted on Vinnie."

"I'm sure." Modo said quietly. "I don't want that to happen either. I ... I don't know what I'd do." He said, uncertain for the first time he could remember about whether he'd protect Vinnie or not.

"It won't happen." Thildon said certainly. "He won't face a free-for-all hunt."

"Throttle'll take care of it, somehow." He said softly. "He always does."

"And the hand picked warriors with him will, if he can't." He said with a low voice. "Ones picked for their lack of hatred for normal mice."

"I always though it would be good to have my Bros back together." Modo said quietly. "Now, I'm not so sure. This is worse than not knowing where Vinnie was."

"But it's something you can do more than stare wistfully at the stars about." Thildon pointed out. "He's a good soul, he'll come around. He's not going to be around anyone who reinforces his illness until he does."

"That's good." Modo said softly. "I just gotta let Throttle handle it. I don't think I'd be able to hold my temper." He said, kissing his mate gently before changing the subject. "You seemed pleased when I agreed to the bit about two litters, were you worried I wouldn't?" He asked curiously.

"Well, it's not something we ever really talked about." The rusty mouse said quietly. "And I hated it. Guess I let my perception color it."

"I can't say the clinicalness of it thrills me, but it's a small price really." Modo admitted quietly. "At least its only two."

"And the reasoning makes sense even to me." He admitted grudgingly. "I just don't like females. It made it less fun than most take it for."

"I'm okay with females." Modo smiled. "Just prefer males, though I think you've kind of noticed that." He said, his grin widening.

"Yeah, and you picked a couple really hot ones to run with." Thildon snickered. "You and Throttle looked good sleeping together. It wiped so much tension from both of you."

"Yeah, it felt good too." Modo admitted. "Though that's as much as I've ever done with either of my Bros. Even if I have thought about more." He chuckled lightly. "That would probably freak Vinnie as much as finding out I'm Kinfolk will."

"Probably more." Thildon said softly. "He's got some _serious_ issues with guys."

"And that palace didn't help things any." Modo muttered. "That's the kind of place, we're using to taking down." He said, remembering the towers they'd blown up on a semi-regular basis.

"I wonder if it would blow his mind to find out you mount me more than the other way around?" Thildon grinned a little impishly.

"I honestly have no idea." Modo shook his head. "For all I know, the fool mouse thinks the big bad monster is raping me." There was a distinctly mocking tone to his words.

"Right now, I'd be surprised if he could think anything else." He murmured. "It's a lot easier than coming to terms with the idea that your Bro is in love with a monster."

"Though it's one of the reasons I'm not going near him. If he said something like that, I'd probably slug him before I even thought about it." Modo said quietly. "He may be my Bro, but there are some things even he doesn't get to say."

"Same way not even my sis got to call you what she thinks." Thildon said with a soft growl. "The ones closest to you are the ones that can drive you mad the fastest."

"Maybe she'll think better of me now." Modo said softly. "And yeah, that they can. Vinnie could even before, he's still really immature in a lot of ways. Of course, that's cute at times too." The big gray mouse chuckled. "He'd flip if he knew I thought he was cute."

"He's freak if he knew to totally agree." Thildon shook his head. "And yeah, as sad as it is, she'll treat you a lot better now that you're kinfolk. I think she was hoping this was a phase or something for her rebellious little brother."

"Yeah, I kind of picked up on that." Modo nodded. "I guess there some people you can't win over no matter how much you aren't like the stereotype." He shrugged. "But I knew that would be the case, it'll be kind of weird when people start treating me different. Wonder how long it'll take for people to find out about the change in status."

"Well, the official ceremony will be in about a week, but everyone will know by tomorrow." He chuckled. "Rumor mill and all. Not many will treat you much different, though. You're a warrior, proven provider and wise voice most already respect well past your status as my mate."

"No, but I confess a little curiosity about some of those who don't." Modo smiled. "Not that it really matters though."

"You'll find out soon enough, love." Thildon murmured, shifting uneasily. "We do need to talk about your kits, love. Who will raise them, if you want more."

"Not sure if I want more, but then I'd never really given much thought to the subject before today. Since all my long term prospects have been guys for a long time, it wasn't much of an issue." He said softly. "And I kind of wondered about the whole 'who raises them' issue with this arranged mating bit."

"That is settled by the two involved, their mates, family and village leaders." Thildon explained. "It depends on what everyone wants and can provide."

"Seems like a reasonable enough approach." Modo said easily.

"Which means we have to figure that out before it is asked."

Modo nodded. "What's your feeling on kits?" He asked gently.

"Never thought about it, really." He sighed and settled on a pile of soft skins, pulling Modo down to hold him. "I didn't raise any of my own, as I didn't have a mate and got it over with as soon as I was old enough. My partners were chosen with that in mind. Both were older, with mates and kits already. The oldest isn't quite three now. I'm willing, but I don't know if I'm even parenting material."

"I'm not sure I am either." Modo said quietly. "Been a wanderer most of my life. This is as settled down as I've ever been." He smiled affectionately at his mate. "Still hard to believe at times."

"I never did ask how old you are." Thildon looked up curiously.

"Thirty something." Modo said with a shrug. "I haven't kept real close track. In the middle of a war, age doesn't seem very important."

"Oh," he actually looked startled for a moment. "Didn't think you were that much older than me." Thildon looked a little sheepish. "Figured maybe twenty something. A few years and rougher life."

"It was a rougher life, but I was sixteen when the war started and it's been going a while. I suppose I might be late twenties." He shrugged. "Like I said, I haven't kept track."

"I didn't mean it like that, love." He snuggled close. "I was just surprised ... didn't think anyone that old would be interested in a kit like me."

"Your age never mattered to me." Modo said, nuzzling him affectionately. "And you're hardly a kit, love. You're a warrior and a good provider. I'd have been hard pressed to do better for a mate." He said with sincere affection.

"Thanks, love." The rusty mouse smiled and relaxed as he stretched along his mate to a gently kiss. "You're far from a slacker yourself." He murred between their lips. "You even showed Blue Shark Night about hunting."

"Well, when you learn to hunt on a dying world, everywhere else seems kind of overrun with game." He chuckled, though there was a sad note to it.

"That world won't be drying much longer." Thildon said with an air of insider confidence he never had.

"If there's a way to undo the damage, that'd be great to see." Modo said quietly. "Me and my Bros always figured the best we could do was convince the fishfaces it wasn't worth holding. Wasn't anything we could do about the environmental damage."

"Oh, they'll learn that the hard way, as will those who can't accept our presence." Thildon rumbled with a level of venom he reserved for few things. "Then Mars will turn green and blue again."

"Gods, that'll be good to see." Modo said softly. "And there aren't many left to accept or not accept any more."

"Any idea how many? Or what the fishfaces are going to be like?" He asked with the nervousness of a warrior facing his first really battle.

"Not really, everyone stays mobile, trying to keep the fishfaces from getting a bead on them." He said softly. "But significantly less than the number of Mice on this planet. Three thousand tops, I imagine." He sighed. "As for the fishfaces, a lot of it depends on what mercs they're using."

"Against a force of roughly thirty thousand Garou, and twice that combat-worthy kinfolk." Thildon said softly.

"Okay, maybe it doesn't matter what mercs they're using." He chuckled. "I very much doubt they've got that kind of force on Mars anymore."

"It's good to hear, not that the alphas will commit without a good recon first." He relaxed. "It's actually starting." Thildon shivered in excitement. "Nine generations of preparation are about to pay off."

"I wouldn't get to excited about war, love." Modo said softly. "War is a nasty brutal business, a necessary evil even in the best of causes." He said as the war-weariness crept back into his soul.

"Sorry, love." He murred with a gentle kiss to Modo's cheek.

"It's okay. You've just never experienced war first hand." He said gently.

"No, I haven't. Just a few skirmishes." Thildon acknowledged. "And it's a prize we've spent nine generations preparing for."

Modo nodded quietly. He was sick of mouse on mouse violence, it had been wrong when it started and just because the persecuted had become the persecutors didn't make it any better. He really doubted that the cycle of violence would ever end.

"You don't have to be there, love." Thildon searched for the right thing to break the mood.

"Yes, I do." Modo said quietly. "Freeing Mars is a fight I've been fighting most of my life. I have to see it through, 'sides Throttle will be there." He said as though that explained it all.

"Yes, he will be." Thildon nodded against the broad gray chest. "His mother will demand it even if he doesn't."

"That still kind of creeps me out. Someone who's supposed to be dead messing with my Bro. The dead are supposed to move on and let the living lead their own lives." He said quietly, not mentioning that he hadn't much believed in the after life before that.

"The dead has to accept their duties will be fulfilled." Thildon said softly. "There are more ghosts than you may want to believe, at least among us."

"Never much believed in ghosts." Modo said quietly. "Probably still wouldn't if Throttle hadn't told me."

"Spirits are very real, love." He smiled. "Death really is just another stage."

"I guess." He said softly. "Not that I've ever met one."

"Just means you've never been the focus of one strong enough to manifest in a way you could notice."

"I think I prefer it that way."

"Some find it a comfort." Thildon whispered. "I never understood why. Threa says her mate still comes to her at night."

"I don't understand why either, love." He said holding his mate close. "But each grieves in their own way."

"I guess so, Modo-ra." He murmured. "I don't want to think about it."

Modo nodded. "I know, it's a difficult thing." He said softly. "I wish my mind would stop coming back to it, but I've seen Vin's death in my mind more than I care to."

"Hurrm?" Thildon listed his upper body to look at his mate in concern.

"I don't know, maybe its just worry." He said softly. "I've seen him die three times; once at the claws of Throttle's Lumari form, once by my hands, and once by a Lumari I didn't recognize. It's seriously creepy."

"How did you see these things?" Thildon asked very seriously.

"Up here." Modo tapped his head. "Felt like it was in the eye that isn't there."

"When?"

"Between Throttle's fight with Vinnie and meeting with the elders." He said quietly. "While Throttle was recovering, and I was keeping an eye on him."

"Ever had vision like that before?" Thildon asked softly, though clearly excited.

"Not that I remember." Modo said thinking back. "Was almost like a dream, but a lot clearer."

"You might have a latent gift for it." Thildon said softly. "Or it might have just happened. But Seers aren't warriors."

"Well, I'd rather not make a habit of it. It's too weird." He said quietly. "The one with myself especially."

"Shuu, love." Thildon murmured with a gentle kiss. "See should speak to Sky's Glory of this. Such visions should not be ignored."

"If you say so, love." Modo murmured agreeably before he claimed a more passionate kiss. "I don't know much about such things."

"That's _why_ we should see him." Thildon rumbled as his tail slipped under Modo's loincloth.


	9. Broken Souls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vinnie's on the run, and it seems the entire universe is intent on making that an excruciatingly impossible task.

Vinnie didn't even notice when the ground turned to sand beneath his feet, but when water began splashing around his ankles his shuddering, staggering progress finally came to a halt. He had no idea how long he'd been walking for, or how far he'd come, aware only of his fear ad a desperate need to escape.

Eventually he collapsed in the fine sand, only stirring when the bright tropical sun found his eyes. He groaned softly, and wished he'd at least had the presence of mind to get up off the beach. There was sand all through his clothes. He sighed softly, looking out over what he realized must be the ocean. The water was calm and placid, but formed an impassable barrier for him nonetheless. If he'd had a boat the endless stretch of water would have been a blessing, offered some measure of safety, as it was he'd just have to choose a new direction, before the beasts caught up with him. He looked both ways along the coast. Neither direction immediately seemed better than the other. In the end he chose the path that he judged would take him further from the encampment and set off again.

By the time the sun was high, he had realized his other mistake: taking off without food or water. His thirst was especially painful with the ocean so close, but even Vinnie knew that drinking from it would be opening the door to disaster. He hadn't seen anything that struck him as a game animal, not that he'd have any means of killing one anyway, nor any sort of recognizable fruit. He tried not to think about it, trudging onwards despite the growling of his stomach.

As his throat began to complain painfully, Vinnie's nose picked up the unmistakable smell of fruit, roasting meat, and fresh water. He was immediately wary. It certainly wouldn't be below these things to try and trap him with the promise of food.

Despite the danger his hunger prodded him to approach. His entire body was tense, the mouse ready for shapeshifting monsters to spring up from any side. It was a nerve-wracking time, and it only got worse as he noticed the small encampment, not doubt the source of the smells.

"Come eat with me." A soft female voice spoke from behind him. He whirled around, raising his hands to defend himself. It was the woman, Path, who'd bought him food and the clothes he was wearing.

"You're following me," Vinnie accused.

"Of course I did." She smiled gently. "You took off without any supplies."

"You really shouldn't have done that," he growled softly.

"Why?" Path cocked her head. "You needed the supplies."

Vinnie didn't reply, his gaze dancing erratically around, flicking back to her ever couple of seconds to make sure she was still precisely where he expected her to be. Moving very slowly, he began to back away. "Where are the others?"

"There's no ambush, Vinnie." She said softly. "No one's here except me."

"You're lying," He growled, his head darting to either side as he continued to back away.

"Vinnie, what is so threatening about me that you won't take the supplies I brought for you?"

"You know what," he replied, almost spitting the words out. "You keep away from me."

"I am," Path said softly, not having moved since she'd first spoken. "I'm trying to help you."

"I never asked for your help," Vinnie retorted. "Keep your distance."

"You didn't need to." She said softly, still not moving. "You are kin."

"Like fuck I am!" Vinnie spat explosively. "I'm no kin of yours."

"You are my brother's Bro." She countered gently. "You are as much kin as Modo or Throttle." Path spoke the last name with a deep level of respect.

Vinnie's eyes narrowed as she spoke. "Just take off," he insisted. "Get out of here."

"I won't go far." Path told him as she vanished into the greenery.

Vinnie waited until she was gone and then turned to the camp, gathering up all the food he could carry with him. He didn't intend to hang around though, heading off even before he began to eat.

* * *

* * *

The white mouse greeted the sunlight with a groan for a hard night's sleep and long previous day. His nose told him he wasn't alone before he fully awake. That was enough to jerk him up to his feet, his lips curling back into a snarl as he recognized the woman standing a few feet away.

"You again," he muttered.

"I told you I wasn't going far." She said quietly. "It is not safe to sleep without a watch, and you were too tired to keep an eye open."

"I'd rather sleep alone than have one of you watch over me," Vinnie replied, savagely honest about his feelings.

"Tough." Path shrugged. "You're my brother's Bro, and I'm not going to let you get hurt out here just because you're angry."

"Deal with it lady. Deal with it and get the fuck away from me."

Path shrugged and stood. "Whether you see me or not, I will be close Vinnie. Like it or not."

"Get away from me," the white mouse screamed as she disappeared into the green again.

* * *

* * *

Vinnie's fist made a satisfying, meaty slap as he drove it into her face the next morning, catching her by surprise.

"Do you get the message now bitch?" He yelled as she rolled away and to her feet into a combat stance. "Stay the fuck away." He advanced on her, both hands curled into fists and his powerful frame almost trembling with anger and other, unreadable emotions.

Path was sure, though, that none of them spoke well of her as she backed away, suddenly very aware that her skills were not up to this war-hardened warrior. Despite it all, she flicked an innocuous hand signal to the Garou she knew were following to stay put.

"Get out of here," the mouse snarled as she continued to move away, quickly disappearing into the greenery.

He turned his back and hurried in the other direction. It'd be a small miracle is the skinchangers let him be for very much longer.

* * *

* * *

"Good morning, brother." A deep, gravely voice greeted Vinnie as his body grudgingly woke with the sun. "Striking a healer is unbecoming of a warrior of rank."

Vinnie lurched upright, his face twisting in hatred as he found himself surrounded by lounging skinchangers, no longer bothering to hide their bestial natures. "I told her I didn't want her around," Vinnie scowled, mustering all his defiance.

"And she is not." The dark gray-black leader spoke again, holding Vinnie with crystal blue eyes.

"I don't want you around either," Vinnie continued, his voice dropping half a tone into a low growl.

"Until your Bro arrives, that is not an option." The monster stated simply. "You are not to be left alone in your state."

Vinnie's hands combed through the short grass, searching for a rock or branch, anything he could use as a weapon against these monstrosities. He came up empty.

"You don't get to decide what I do or where I go, skinchanger." Vinnie said as he got to his feet, hoping he sounded more confident than he felt. "Get the hell out of my way."

"No." The huge beast stated simply, though he didn't move from his relaxed posture.

The white mouse curled his hands into fists as he walked towards it, though it was more to steady himself than for any value as a threat they might have had. Up close the creatures were even more horrifying than he remembered with their horns, saber fangs and strange animal legs. He could feel his stomach turning over. "Get out of my way."

"No." The Garou replied, apparently unconcerned by the threatening posture.

Vinnie glared for a moment and then stepped between the monster and the Blackeye next to it. They had him so closely penned in that he couldn't help but brush against one of them. The revulsion in his body was unmistakable, tension outlining each and every muscle beneath the light clothes.

Neither tried to stop him, but as he passed, he realized that the some of huge pack had shifted position, encircling him again even as he passed them by.

He ran.

His feet pounded against the dirt and sand as he tried to outpace the monsters, but it was no good. They had unnatural speed, and no matter how hard he tried he could never outpace them and always ended up in the center of a new circle of beasts. The last time he tried to hurdle the thing sitting in his way, but his foot struck it in the shoulder and he tumbled down into the dirt.

He caught the shift of motion as they moved, putting him back in the middle of the pack with a dozen plus paces between him and any beast as they just watching him calmly, quickly relaxing into a lounge as he'd stopped moving.

He scrambled to his feet and spun around until he found the Skinchanger that had spoken to him before. "Let me out of here you bastard!"

"My parents were bonded," the beast said easily. "And no, you are not going to be left alone."

"Your parents were rutting beasts," Vinnie spat, the venom rising in him.

"So?" It asked with an infuriately calm voice.

Vinnie just gave a wordless snarl, dropped one shoulder and charged at it, slamming into it with all the force he could muster, only to find he had no target when he reached the spot, the Garou having leapt straight up and to the side, the pack shifting again to put him in the center.

Vinnie stumbled, off balance, and ended up face down in the dirt.

"Stop playing with me damnit!" Vinnie raved as he got back to his feet, glaring at them wildly as he singled out the skinchanger he was after.

"Very well." The speaker said agreeably, setting into motion a rush of activity as the pack moved from containment to attack postures, clearly sizing him up and choosing their strategy.

Vinnie didn't even take a moment, just rushing the monster again, who danced out of the way as a relatively small black one moved faster than the eye could see to twist the white mouse on his back in the sand and pinned him there by laying on him with enough of her weight to prevent him from moving, her forearms crossed over his chest and his tail pinned under one foot.

"Now just relax will you?" A decidedly feminine voice came from the creature looking down at him. "You're not going to be hurt, but we're not going to let you get hurt either. If that means we have to literally sit on you to keep you safe, we can do that."

Vinnie just went berserk. He thrashed wildly, though her powerful grip and weight kept him from actually moving all that much. He was almost frothing at the mouth as he desperately tried to escape the grip that held him.

"This one's going to take some work." A low female voice sighed as the world went black for the white mouse.

* * *

* * *

Vinnie had no idea how long he was out, but when he came around there was no weight on top of him, no one touching him, and no smell of Garou nearby. One scent was however, and it was intimately familiar.

"Throttle," Vinnie moaned, lifting one hand to the back of his head.

"Right here, Bro." The tawny mouse answered from just out of touch range.

"Gods, what ..." the question was cut off before it could even be asked as knowledge of what had happened came flooding back.

"You going to hit me again?" Throttle asked quietly.

Vinnie didn't say anything, letting out a long sigh as he settled down against the ground. "They're still out there, aren't they?"

"Not in normal hearing range." He answered quietly.

Vinnie pulled himself up into a sitting position, keeping his back to the other mouse. "There's nothing normal about them," he said softly.

"No, there isn't." Throttle agreed, using his tail to pass a field ration pack and canteen over, setting it on the ground where Vinnie could see it.

"And you're one of them."

"Yes, Bro." He acknowledged quietly.

Vinnie took the food he'd been offered and ate it in silence. In the darkness every sound was audible, leaving only the heavy, torn sound of the white mouse's breath once he was done.

"You've killed a Garou, haven't you, Bro?" Throttle asked in the dark silence.

It might have been a laugh, though it didn't sound like an enjoyable experience. "More than a couple."

That dropped the tawny mouse into silence, wrestling with demons of his own at knowing the mouse he loved was one of the murders of his family.

"You can't be one of those things." The trembling of Vinnie's voice was getting worse. Even he was coming to the end of his stubborn-ness. "You can't."

"You can't be a cold blooded murderer of mothers and children." Throttle murmured shakily. "I can't love a murderer, my Bro."

"Clawed my brother's guts out," Vinnie replied, a little force coming back into his voice. "Nothing cold-blodded about it."

"Skinned my mother alive and burned her still beating heart from her body when she asked for peace." Throttle countered softly. "Nothing honorable or even decent about it."

"And had a party afterward. I got laid twice."

"I should have killed you when I saw you in the rebel camp." Throttle muttered softly. "But _nooo_ , I had to give a damn promise to her that I wouldn't weaken Mars' defenses any more than they were." He spat, the canteen in his hand shattering on the ground next to the white mouse. "Why shouldn't show you what her death felt like?" He growled deep in his chest. "Or something you fear so much worse."

"You gonna rape me now?" Vinnie asked, though there was little enough fire in his voice. "Typical beast. You were bloody well drooling for it back in that room."

Throttle just shook his head, most of the rage dissipating with the irritatingly familiar spirit touch of his mother. "No, but I think you should meet someone. Again."

"There's no one here I want to see," Vinnie replied quickly. "This is, by far, the crappiest planet we've been on."

"That include Modo, and me?" Throttle asked quietly.

Vinnie made a soft, miserable noise in the back of his throat, choked off when he heard how pathetic he sounded.

Throttle sat back down, in his previous position, and let the silence reign.

"People keep telling me things about you," Vinnie said softly, his voice no stronger for the change in topic.

"Like what?" He accepted the subject.

Even though he'd chosen the topic, Vinnie hesitated. "There's been, I dunno, five or six people I guess. Saying that you ... that you loved me."

"Including me, Bro, a couple of times." Throttle nodded, though the white mouse couldn't see him. "I do."

"Fuck," Vinnie replied, though that hardly seemed sufficient to express how screwed up the situation was.

"I came to terms with not doing that with you years ago." Throttle sighed.

Throttle could almost hear the angry drawing of breath as Vinnie went to say something. He did hear the other mouse's teeth clack together as he stopped himself and let silence hold again.

Neither mouse spoke for quite some time.

"What the hell were you thinking?"

When?" Throttle sighed, thinking of far too many possible answers.

"I burnt her Throttle, and plenty of other Blackeyes besides. I never made that I secret. I'm fucking proud of it."

"I promised I wouldn't kill you." He sighed. "The rest, just kind of happened."

"Bet you feel like an idiot now."

Throttle sighed. "As much as I'd prefer it, no, I don't."

"Damnit, how the fuck do you expect me to be okay with this?"

"You think it's any better for me?" Throttle countered.

"Yeah, yeah I do. No-one's chasing you, you don't have beasts and fucking monsters sitting on you, or playing silly fucking games with your head." There was a soft thud, followed by another. "If I'd told you there was a psycho serial-murderer fucking Modo you wouldn't be so calm about it."

"Except I know better."

"You're just on the same team."

"Is that how it's going stay?" Throttle asked quietly.

"You want me to say I'm sorry about what I did? I'm not. That I'm happy about Modo and that ... guy? I'm not. I cannot look at them without feeling sick."

"He's your Bro, and he's happy." Throttle pointed out.

"I know," Vinnie replied bitterly.

"And he's like me." He added softy, sure the new test would prove out.

"You think that makes me feel better?"

"No," Throttle shrugged slightly. "Just something you should know."

"Great," Vinnie murmured. "Thanks so much."

"Should I feel sorry that you can't see your enemy when he's guarding your back?" Throttle grumbled.

"Don't put this on me," Vinnie growled, "Don't pretend we weren't justified. We had the numbers then, and you've got them now, but she wasn't called Death Angel because she had a nice smile."

Throttle actually laughed at that, a bitter, sarcastic sound. "Gods, ignorance and hatred. You are a wonder sometimes, Bro. If you were justified, tell me why, _when it started_ , you needed to exterminate us to survive?"

"You take mice. Real mice. Modo sure as hell didn't know he was one of you when he got here, hell, he didn't seem to know it when we got here. No one's got a problem with that ... whatever his name is fucking him blind. You take mice and put monsters inside them."

Throttle laid back on the ground and stared up at the starts. "You're sure about that Bro?"

"I know it," Vinnie said, sounding sure for the first time since he woke up. "You want me, I know it. If I'd been a woman I'd be birthing freaks."

"No, you wouldn't be." Throttle said softly. "Not by me at least."

"Balls don't work?" It was supposed to be cutting, but he just couldn't manage the stinging edge. No on something so personal.

"Oh, they work fine." Throttle chuckled softly. "I won't breed outside my bloodline. Too risky."

Vinnie snorted. "Pity they're not all so smart."

"So how do you know that?"

"How do you think? When girls start running in from the dark with their clothes torn, saying things you don't even want me to repeat. Most of them never even denied it, hell some of them gloated ... but only 'till we lit them up." There was no mistaking the emotion in Vinnie's voice, hatred and revulsion, pure and vibrant.

"Figures." Matching emotions in Throttle flared just as bright, the whip-snap of his tail on the ground a warning that sent most sane people heading elsewhere.

"Figures? That we watch out for our own? Damn right we do, Blackeyes found that out all over Mars."

"Ignorant hypocrite." The tawny mouse growled and rolled to his feet silently.

"Fuck you," Vinnie told the darkness. "You're the one came running out there after me."

* * *

* * *

Vinnie moaned, something which was getting to be a daily ritual when he woke. The ground was just too hard to make it a pleasant experience. At least there was no circle of beats to greet him this morning though. Just Throttle, sitting a little way off and concentrating fiercely on something in his hands.

While a slight twitch of his ears indicated the tawny mouse was aware of his companion's return to the waking world, he didn't look up or otherwise acknowledge it.

"There's no way I can get off this island, is there?" Vinnie asked without preamble.

"There are a lot of ways off." Throttle said without looking up. "That are available to you without making some kind of deal with the village, just swimming. Unless you can make a boat yourself."

"That's pretty much what I figured," Vinnie nodded. "I'm not that good a swimmer."

"And all the islands around here are just more Garou." He added quietly.

Vinnie swore under his breath. "There must be thousands of them."

"About seven thousand here." Throttle nodded.

"And they can make those bridges back to Mars whenever they want? Gods."

"Now they can." Throttle nodded.

"Because of us." Vinnie's voice was ashen. "They didn't know where to go until we told them."

"Until I told them." Throttle corrected quietly. "I know which points are still live."

"How ... no, It's okay. I already know."

"Probably not." Throttle shrugged. "But it doesn't exactly matter."

"No, I do understand. You want to go home."

Throttle finally paused and looked up at him. "No, you don't understand. Not this, or anything about me, from what you've said so far."

"I guess that's not really a surprise," the white mouse replied, resigned. "I thought you were something else."

"Not really." Throttle said softly. "You thought I was something _less_. Crippled like you."

"I thought you were a mouse," Vinnie said frankly. "I thought you were my Bro, but the last couple of weeks have opened my eyes about a lot of things."

"Like I said, crippled." He shrugged. "So you learned something that was always true. Just cause the info is new to you, doesn't make it _new_. I'm no different than I was a month ago."

"So you would always have tried to convince me to lie down and get raped?" Vinnie snorted. "Reassuring Throttle, really."

"If we'd landed in _that_ situation, yes." He nodded. "I accepted it when possible, but in that situation just my body wasn't going to keep us alive."

"I didn't ..." Vinnie turned towards Throttle and took a step toward him, but didn't seem to know what to do when he got there. He ended up looking down towards his feet. "I didn't want that Throttle. I never knew. I would've busted a hell of a lot more heads back in the camps if I'd known they were doing that to you."

"Bro, what I did bought time, food, lives, keys, maps and even plans." He finally looked up. "I do what I have to to protect those I care about, and I'm okay with it, even when it turns my stomach."

"I'm not okay with it," Vinnie said softly. "It shouldn't have happened."

"A lot of things shouldn't have happened, Bro." Throttle sighed. "A lot of choices were between horrible and worse. When you and Modo looked to me as leader, it became my responsibility to make those choices, and protect you as best I could, same as you protected me. I don't regret what I did to protect you, Bro. I never will."

"That's a hell of a thing to tell a guy Throttle."

"It never occurred to me you didn't know I'd do anything to protect you and Modo." He murmured. "It's how I was raised, what I am."

Vinnie snorted softly. "Your momma could have done that one a little better. There are some things you never have to do for anyone."

The tawny mouse shrugged. "It's my choice, and I still don't regret it."

"Even if I do?"

"Vinnie, why regret something that was never your choice to make?" Throttle looked at him quietly. "There is nothing there for you to regret."

"They made you do things. Things that make you sick to think about, you said so yourself." Vinnie shook his head, turning away again. "I wish that had never happened. I wish I'd been able to do something."

"Like I wish I could have protected you in the palace, but I couldn't." Throttle sighed. "And when he cut your face off. But I couldn't, and I have to live with that too. It's life, Vinnie. It really sucks a lot of the time."

"Damnit Throttle," Vinnie cursed softly. "I wish I hated you. It'd make things a hell of a lot easier right now."

"I know," he nodded. "It'd make a lot of folks happier if I'd stop protecting you, but I can't. I don't think you're that much of a monster. You've got too good a heart in there, and even clouded by hate, you're a good mouse."

"Thanks," Vinnie said, albeit with some difficulty. "You're my Bro Throttle, no matter what else you are."

"Good," he smiled slightly at the white mouse. "Hungry?"

"Desperately."

"Come, on, then." He stood with strong grace and opened up a half concealed back. "There's plenty here, and cold water too."

"Thanks," Vinnie said softly, coming closer although he still kept a certain distance between them.

Without comment the tawny mouse selected his meal, and moved away to sit back in his spot to eat. Vinnie ate slowly, his usual enthusiasm markedly absent despite the flavorsome quality of the food.

"I want to stay out here, just us, until we come to some kind terms with this." Throttle said as he finished his meal.

"I'm not in any hurry to go back," Vinnie replied with feeling.

"I figured as much." Throttle nodded, relaxing back against a tree.

There was a long, awkward silence.

"What are you going to do with me now?" Vinnie asked eventually.

"What happens depends on you," Throttle said softly. "But I'm not going to 'do' anything with you."

The white mouse nodded, turning his head to look away across the jungle landscape. "Are they still out there?"

"Yes." Throttle nodded.

Vinnie sighed softly, his shoulders drooping a little more. "They're not going to go away are they? I'm going to have to put up with those eyes watching me until the day I die."

"No, just until they're sure you aren't a threat to me." Throttle shrugged. "Once you're accepted, they won't guard me like that anymore."

"A threat to you? Trying that on didn't turn out so well last time."

"There is more ways to be a threat than punching me." Throttle said softly. "They know you've killed before. That you don't have an easy way to do it now is irrelevant to how little they trust this situation."

"I couldn't kill you Throttle," Vinnie whimpered, his voice barely carrying the distance between them. "Not you."

"I know, Bro." Throttle replied with quiet certainty. "But would your family trust this any more, if it were reversed?"

"No. Less."

"Can you blame my family for not leaving me alone?" He looked up at his Bro.

Vinnie didn't reply for a long time. "I hate them Throttle," he said at first. "I can't stand the thought of them out there. Watching me. Waiting for something."

"Then don't think about it." Throttle suggested. "You were _always_ being watched, Bro. You're just aware of it now, like so many other things."

"Don't think about it." The white mouse actually managed a chuckle. "Sure. Then I'll just wave my hands and there'll be grass on the plains of Mars."

"That is coming." The tawny mouse smiled slightly. "Very soon."

"You're going to take them back there."

"It's already begun." Throttle nodded. "Nine generations of planning and preparation are over, Vinnie. We're going to end both wars, and return the Heart of Mars to the world."

"Great," Vinnie said, his tone betraying his lack of enthusiasm. "Congratulations."

"It's better than the alternatives."

Vinnie had no answer to that. His fingers and tail combed through the dirt, drawing nonsense patterns to try and take his mind off the situation. It was obviously not working.

Throttle simply watched, waiting patiently for his Bro to come to some conclusion or choice on his own.

"I'm going to catch some sleep, Bro." Throttle commented softly as the sun descended into the sea with a fiery display.

"Sure," Vinnie replied without even looking up. "It's not like I can go anywhere."

"Talk to me when you hit that brick wall, okay?" He looked at the white mouse as he stood.

"Throttle. There's no way out of this." The white mouse's voice was resigned, and more defeated than Throttle had ever heard it.

"No, I guess not for you." He admitted regretfully. "Change, run, or die ... what you are now isn't going to be making it far."

"I ... I guess at least one of us gets to go home."

Throttle's gaze dropped down. "Be real Bro. Neither of our homes exist, and what we fought for won't either in the next few months."

"I always thought I was gonna get back." His voice was blank, there wasn't even any regret left in it any more. "After I found you again I really thought it was going to happen."

"There hasn't been a home to go back to for years, Bro." Throttle reminded him with gentle regret. "It was lost long before we even hit Earth."

"That never made any difference before. We never stopped trying."

"And I'll be going with the army that will take Mars back, for the same reason. My home is gone, but one can be rebuilt."

Vinnie just nodded weakly. After a few moments he laid himself out on the ground, rolling onto one side and curling his tail around him. Throttle watched for a moment before moving up a tree to sleep above the crawlers and hard soil.

* * *

Vinnie's first contact with the outside world was shortly after dawn when a tail dropped a package of meat, fruit and bread not far from his nose, and a waterskin not far from it. The white mouse blinked, but didn't move. Even the stony ground wasn't enough to rouse him this morning.

"I know you're awake, Bro." Throttle's low voice came from the other side of the small camp. "You might as well eat."

"You're wasting your food," Vinnie replied.

"Why?' Throttle looked at him. "There's plenty."

"I'm a dead mouse. You know it."

"Yeah, and so am I." The tawny mouse shrugged. "Just not soon enough skipping a meal has a point."

"Smartass," Vinnie muttered, though he real across and pick up the water, taking a swallow.

"Well, at least one of us has to keep things in perspective a little." Throttle said softly, working on his own breakfast. "Besides, there are easier ways to die than starving to death."

"You don't need to remind me."

"So eat and I won't." Throttle shrugged. "I want to see Summer's Green out here less than you do."

"Somehow I don't think so." Silence fell again. Vinnie was finding it harder and harder to stay interested in the conversation. "Would you stop me, if I just go up and walked into the sea?"

"Yes." Throttle shot a sharp look at his Bro. "There is no reason for you to die."

"Dieing wouldn't be so hard. It's gonna happen anyway." The white mouse made it sound as though he were a corpse already. "Walking away from you'd be harder."

"You walk away, I'm just going to come after you Bro." Throttle repeated the spirit of a promise the three of them had shared more times than any of them could remember.

"Not where I'm gonna end up. Like I said, one of us should get home."

"And just where do you think you're going to end up that I can't follow?" Throttle leveled his gaze on the white mouse and let his full attention stay there.

"You know what I mean," the white mouse replied, still not looking up.

"I'm not going to let you die over something this stupid." Throttle rumbled defiantly.

"Like either of us has a choice. Drowning's supposed to be quiet, better than getting torn to pieces."

"Vin, if you want a quiet death, there are much cleaner ways." Throttle said softly, his heart aching. "But this isn't something you should or need to die over."

"I wish we'd never come here Throttle," Vinnie said softly, turning his head to look out to see. "I'd rather have let those lunatics have me."

"No you don't, Bro." Throttle said with quiet certainty.

"You would have left anyway," Vinnie nodded. "Vaya. This whole planet is fucked."

"Bro, get your fucking head together for a second and thing about what you just said." Throttle's anger flared hot to the surface. "Do you really think I'd abandon my _Bro_ for a required roll in a the hay? I needed her to get you out."

"She would have taken you away anyway, once she figured out what you were. And we'd still be here."

"Bro, she didn't come because she wasn't invited." Throttle snorted. "She wasn't a mouse, or anything related. But she had access to the comm gear to contact help, and I needed her to trust or like me enough to let me get to it."

"She's not one of ... them?" Vinnie asked softly.

"No." Throttle shook his head. "She was a shapeshifter. I guess they figured you might respond better to a female mouse."

"She could have been Miss Mars and it wouldn't make a difference," Vinnie snorted.

"They didn't know that." Throttle shook his head. "And she was a hell of a lot more pleasant o manipulate than that Fennec."

"Wrapped around your little finger huh?"

"Hardly, but enough to get you out of there after a week." Throttle shrugged. "Almost cost me my head, moving that fast."

"You should be more careful with it," Vinnie said, looking up at last. "Your head, I mean."

"Calculated risk." He said simply. "I knew you wouldn't last much longer. Not with how you are."

"A meathead, you mean."

"Too proud for your own good." Throttle sighed. "You never did know how to bend on some things. That's just one of them."

"I know you think I'm stupid Throttle," the white mouse said without rancor. "And sick in the head."

"Not stupid, Bro. Just stubborn and proud, and you are sick in the head."

"And what? You're gonna fix me? Neuter my fucking brain?"

"Sicknesses can be healed." Throttle said simply.

"I don't know if I can bro," Vinnie shook his head slowly.

"Maybe not, but _we_ can do anything." Throttle said with the stubborn determination that had gotten them out of all sorts of hell.

"I used to think that, yeah."

"Still true, Bro." Throttle stated simply.

"You don't understand. I'm not sorry. For any of it."

"You don't have to be." The tawny mouse shrugged.

"I killed your mother! I had a barbeque and a beer and the best sex of my life. How can I not be sorry for that?"

"Because the mouse that did it had no reason to be sorry." Throttle murmured. "The same way I'm not sorry for what I've done in the name of vengeance, or my people, or Mars, or even you. The hate and fear can pass, and I still don't feel sorry for most of it. I had cause then, even if I wouldn't do it again."

Vinnie squeezed his eyes shut. "They were monsters. Foul and vile. Half the time they just laughed, they were so sure we couldn't hurt them. That was even better than the ones that begged, because you could see it when they started to burn. The flesh would burn all the way to ash, and their bones would be twisted into impossible shapes."

"I know, Vinnie." Throttle said softly. "Atrocities in war are never one sided."

"Gods, you don't want to hear this shit bro. What the fuck is wrong with me?"

"I think the term is Racist." Throttle looked at his Bro.

"I knew that. I'm a skullbuster. What sort of sick fuck tells his best friend about how the greatest sex was the night his mother burned?"

"The kind making a last desperate attempt not to face the fact it's not as black and white as he was raised to believe."

"I liked it Throttle, I really did."

"I know." He nodded quietly. "Life's a lot easier when you don't have to think about it. That was a lesson I really resented for a long time. Still do sometimes."

"I still hate them. Just thinking about it makes me sick."

"It?" Throttle raised a curious eyebrow.

"Being near them. Gods, just knowing they're out there now watching makes my skin crawl."

"So I make you this uncomfortable?"

"You ..." Vinnie sighed. "I don't know what to think about you."

"I'm not Garou, you know. Neither's Modo." Throttle restated something he expected hadn't sunk in yet.

"Don't lie to me," Vinnie said softly, as though it were the worst thing had happened over the last few weeks. "I know you shifted."

"I'm kinfolk, Bro." Throttle sighed softly. "I wish I'd breed true, but that shift wasn't my doing. My mother's got enough power to do such things when she wants to."

"Your mother's dead."

"Yeah, and she never passed on. Wouldn't accept the ceremony." He muttered slightly. "Been watching over my shoulder ever since."

"Oh great," Vinnie laughed. It was weak and mocking, but at least it was laughter. "Just great. The ghost of your mother."

"Who _else_ could actually get me to promise to protect her murderer?" Throttle snapped.

"That's why you're doing this? For her?"

"This? No." Throttle snorted. "Why I didn't skin you alive and burn your balls in front of you when I first spotted you. Yes."

"Wouldv'e been a hell of a fight," Vinnie nodded. "If I'd known about you."

Throttle snorted. "Wouldn't have _been_ a fight. You don't actually think I'd give you that fair a chance? You would have gotten when the rest of your miserable kind got. Drugged and disabled. _Then_ tortured to death the same way you took us out, and a few I added on my own."

"Fucking beast," Vinnie said, though directed against Throttle he couldn't muster anything like the venom which should have gone with the words. "Just like them."

"Just like _you_." Throttle sneered. "I did just what you did. I hunted my racial enemies and slaughtered them the same way they slaughtered my kind and hundreds of innocent mice. But _I_ stayed with known killers, not just anything that looked killable."

"You think skinchangers look killable? Have you seen them?"

"Oh, I know. I was raised by one." Throttle sneered. "But in killing a few Garou, you killed a lot of mice that just had the misfortune of not looking right. Half of them weren't even kinfolk."

"I'm twisted, we've been there already."

"Yeah, we have." Throttle nodded. "Only question is whether you want to _stay_ that way."

"I can't do this Throttle. I can't pretend to like them. I can't watch one of those things fuck Modo and pretend I'm happy about it ... I just can't."

"You don't even know who's fucking who in that one." Throttle snorted derisively.

"Don't try and tell me it's not putting its cock inside him. "Vinnie snorted.

"Most likely, but from the look of things, Modo's fucking Thildon more than the other way around." Throttle chuckled.

"I'm glad you think it's funny."

"You have no idea just how silly you sound there." Throttle smirked. "Modo's the dominant one in that pairing, Bro. And your disturbed ideas aside, it feels good when you want it."

"I bet it does." There was something off in the mouse's tone. Even as up and down as he'd been over the course of the conversation, Throttle had expected more aggression.

"Don't knock what you haven't tied." The tawny mouse held back the chuckle, leaving his voice unusually soft.

"Not now Throttle. Gods, don't do this now."

"Why not?" He demanded. "Your gut gets turned thinking about what your Bros do for pleasure, why do you think about it?"

"Because of you," Vinnie spat back. "Because of you damnit!"

"Because I desire you?" Throttle shook his head. "You turn heads, _everyone's_. I'm hardly the only guy to dream about you."

"No. That's not why."

The tawny mouse paused, not sure he wanted to say it. "You desire me?"

"I ..." Vinnie couldn't make anything more than a choked whimper. "I thought I was going to die, when they took me away from you, and it didn't matter."

"Bro, I wasn't going to let that happen." Throttle insisted softly, not really prepared to cope with what the rest meant.

"I know that now," Vinnie said miserably. "Back then I thought you wanted her."

"What's so tough about wanting a male?" Throttle asked almost gently.

"More than you think," Vinnie said softly. "But that's not the problem now."

"Your family sure did a number on your happiness, Bro." Throttle sighed softly.

"And I loved it, at the time."

"So now you can be miserable and stay with it, or work past it and try for what you want now."

"It's not that easy damnit!" Now Vinnie was angry, his emotions off on their mad cycle again. "Could you just turn around and feel it was okay to butcher them all? Drink their blood and laugh?"

"No one asked you to kill a mouse, Bro." Throttle said softly. "No one is going to."

"I can't do this bro. I don't know how."

"Pick one thing at a time, and I'll show you." Throttle promised softly.

"You can't change the way I feel. There's nothing you can say that'll stop that sick feeling when I see their eyes."

"No, I don't suppose there is, but you're not going to get to hate them without answering how you can't kill me, after what I've done an am." Throttle said simply. "I can't. You can. Eventually."

"I'm tired Throttle, and I'm afraid. I need your help."

"All you ever had to do was ask, Bro." The tawny mouse said softly, extending a hand in offer. "We'll see this through together."

Vinnie took Throttle's hand and drew him closer, closing his hands around him in a vice-like grip. The white mouse buried his face against Throttle's neck and, for the first time in a long while, began to cry. It was soft at first but developed into powerful, wracking sobs as tears of fear, sorrow and hatred spilled hotly down through Throttle's fur as tawny arms held him closely.

* * *

* * *

The was something different about waking. For the first time in too long it didn't hurt. Fur moved against his as he moved slightly. A warm, strong body beside him, holding him loosely.

"Mmmmmm ... where are we?" he asked softly.

"In a tent, Bro." Throttle's voice was low but relaxed.

"Tent?" The white mouse was still muddled with sleep, but there was no mistaking the way he relaxed in against Throttle's body.

"Yes, Bro." He answered gently. "It's a lot more comfortable than the ground."

"Yeah. So're you."

"I'd hope so." The tawny mouse smiled. "It's a lot nicer than sleeping alone."

"What do we do now?"

"We can stay put, eat breakfast, it's been a hell of a week, Bro." Throttle said softly.

"Breakfast would be great," Vinnie said, leaning away from Throttle again as he sat up in the small space.

Throttle pushed the flap open with his tail and followed the white mouse out. "A bath would be a bad thing either."

"There's the sea I guess," Vinnie said dubiously, "But I'm not a very good swimmer."

"I was thinking of a freshwater spring not far from here." Throttle said and pulled out breakfast, handing half of it to Vinnie.

"Okay, I guess we can do that."

"Good, we're both grimy." Throttle smiled at him and began to eat. "I've got clothes that fit you too."

"These aren't so bad," Vinnie replied as he ate. Then he looked at himself with a more critical eye. "I kinda beat them up a bit though."

"No, they aren't bad, and the vest shows you off nicely." Throttle agreed easily. "But there's no need to wear ill-fitting pants."

"Showing off was the last thing I was thinking about."

"It's just part of you." Throttle smiled.

"Maybe," Vinnie shrugged. He didn't seem much like the cocky showoff now. "I certainly wasn't going to wear the dress."

Throttle chuckled. "That would have been way too weird. You do _not_ belong in a dress. She was just being polite, though. Some guys do."

Vinnie made a face. "You've got to be kidding."

"Warriors don't, but some keepers do." He nodded.

"Remind me not to sign up for that then," the white mouse muttered.

"You're a warrior Bro." Throttle said softly. "But she didn't know, so she offered you a choice of it all."

"I guess so," Vinnie replied, washing down his breakfast with a mouthful of water.

"Come on then, lets get the sand and grime out."

"Yeah, okay. Is it far?"

"Nah," Throttle smiled and offered a tail embrace as he moved off after grabbing a bag. "Just a couple hundred yards."

Vinnie smiled, setting his hand on Throttle's tail as it looped around his waist.

"It's as nice little freshwater spring with a sandy bottom." Throttle said as the small clearing came into view through the thick vegetation, a sandy pool several feet deep and less than a dozen across sparkled in the sunlight. "It's a very pleasant bath."

"Nice," Vinnie nodded. "Though I never really loved all this nature-boy stuff."

"Better than a dust bath." Throttle chuckled softly as he stripped. "At least it's clean. I'll be happy to get back to showers and hot tubs too."

"A hot tub. Gods but I'd kill for one of those about now." Vinnie was a little more reticent about being naked, despite the fact that the pair of them had been nude together before. Even showered together with nothing untoward happening.

"I'm not going to do anything, Bro." Throttle promised without looked at him as he slipped into the water. "Until you choose it."

"It's just different. Last night was nice though," the white mouse offered, as if by way of consolation.

"I'd like sleeping like last night to become the norm for us." Throttle said as he pulled a fist sized gray object from the bag. "Scrub your back?" He both asked and offered.

Vinnie nodded as he walked out into the water. "Yeah, I'd like that."

Throttle smiled and lathered the soap in his hands before going to work on the white mouse's back. His hands were strong, sure and skilled, working not only on cleaning fur but relaxing tight muscles, while keeping it carefully friendly.

Vinnie was surprisingly still, just standing in place as Throttle's hands moved across his body. Beneath the water his tail floated aimlessly, brushing up against Throttle's legs as the tawny mouse began to question the wisdom of this.

When his hands reached the waterline, he moved back up to work the white mouse's neck and head, his touch alternating between strong and gentle as the spot demanded. The muscles beneath Vinnie's fur were tense, but Throttle's touch did seem to relax him somewhat, bringing the tawny mouse to continue well past any need to scrub.

"That's nice," Vinnie said softly after some time.

"Good," Throttle murmured as he continued o work, a little too aware of the fact he was hard as a rock. "You needed it."

"Do you want me to do yours?"

"I'd like it." He smiled and handed the soap to Vinnie before turning around.

It was a strange experience. His bro, normally so brash and confident, seemed almost timid as he put his hands on Throttle's body. He rubbed the soap in slow circles over Throttle's shoulder blades, rivulets of water running down through the tawny fur as Throttle tried to enjoy it without enjoying it too much. The arousal in his scent was already far too strong. Vinnie's hands slowly worked their way down the other mouse's back, rinsing the fur clean with water once he was done.

"Thanks, Bro." Throttle carefully wound his tail around the white waist to squeeze it gently before reaching for the soap.

"Not a problem," Vinnie replied. There was a brief pause before Vinnie looped an arm around Throttle's waist, drawing the tan mouse back against him and setting his face in against his bro's neck. The move would probably have been more smooth if he'd been trying it on a woman, but his chest was warm and firm against Throttle's back as the tawny mouse relaxed into the contact.

"Maybe tonight you'll hold me?" Throttle's breath was a little faster than normal.

"I think I can manage that," Vinnie nodded, taking in the feel of the hard muscles of his Bro relax and mold against him, and the intense musk of Throttle's desire.

"It's weird," Vinnie murmured softly. "You're so hard, and so soft."

"It's something I came to like, the different feel of different lovers."

"Different lovers? For the moment I'm having enough trouble with one."

"Not like that, Bro." Throttle said softly, his tail wrapping around Vinnie's waist. "I like female company too, and sometimes just how different a gender feels can be pretty hot."

"I just want you, I can't imagine not having you around."

"You have me, Bro." Throttle promised softly, reaching back to caress a white thigh. "I'm not going to leave you."

"We're gonna catch cold it we stand here all day," Vinnie reminded the other mouse.

"And neither of us are clean yet." Throttle chuckled, though he made no attempt to move.

Vinnie sighed softly as he released the other mouse. "The last thing I need right now is to fall sick."

"Yes, but then I could pamper you." Throttle smirked playfully and turned, lathering his hands. "Scrub your chest?" He asked hopefully.

"It'll be quicker if we take care of ourselves," Vinnie grinned.

"Okay, Bro." He grinned and handed to soap oven before tending to his own fur.

When it came time to emerge from the water Vinnie was, once again, oddly reticent. The hesitation wasn't enough to really bother Throttle, bit it was certainly noticeable in the usually brash and body-proud mouse.

"Here," Throttle offered a thick, absorbent towel from the bag. "Or we can lay in the sun."

"We're ... we're alone aren't we?" Throttle could see Vinnie thinking about it. "No-one's gonna come up?"

"No one's going to see anything, Bro." He promised, knowing nothing short of a major emergency would bring anyone close.

"I'm not in any hurry to go anywhere."

"We don't have anywhere we need to be." Throttle put a hand on his shoulder. "On the beach, or here?"

"Here. I don't wanna get sand in my fur."

Throttle nodded and glanced around for a spot to lay down in the tropical sun, spreading the towel next to the pool in the grass.

"It's kinda nice here," Vinnie admitted as he came closer, spreading his towel out beside Throttle's.

"Very green." He smiled up, water making his fur shine where it was flattened, and his hard cock stand out even more against the dark brown background.

"Not at all like home," Vinnie replied as he lay down.

"No, not anything like Mars." Throttle agreed softly. "Or Earth for that matter."

"I wish we could stay here, right here. Without anyone else."

"We can." Throttle said softly. "Island'll be deserted soon, and we've got the skills to survive."

"They won't let you," Vinnie shook his head. "And you'd feel guilty about leaving them."

"They'll leave me here, in safe territory, and guilt ... barely matters anymore." Throttle said softly. "I'm just kinfolk. Even as Death Angel's son and heir I'll be relegated to mopping up and safe zones."

"You want to go though, I can tell."

"I want to see it over." Throttle conceded. "I want to see my mother finally go on, and Mars green again."

"Then you should. It'd be stupid for us to come so far and not take the last step."

"There'll be a lot of wet, green places on Mars with no one for hundreds of miles." Throttle said softly.

"Modo will spit chips if we try and take off, too," Vinnie said softly.

"I know." He nodded, still watching the light blue sky.

"Maybe they'll let us have a place in the wilderness, that we can get away to." Vinnie smiled at the thought. "What was it you said? Someplace wet?"

"We're in the tropics here. It's hot, green and wet." Throttle shrugged. "You like it here."

"I like it where you are," Vinnie replied, rolling up onto his side to look at Throttle.

"That's easier to accommodate." Throttle smiled at him, rolling his head to one side to look at the white mouse, and for once grateful for the freedom his shades gave him to get a really good look without seeming to stare.

"Tell me something I don't know about you Throttle," Vinnie said softly. "I'm finding out there's a lot of it."

The tawny mouse drew a sharp breath, then turned inside to look something up. He was staring back at the sky when he finally answered. "I have two sons and a daughter. I Remembered each in the defense of Mars."

Vinnie drew a sharp breath of his own. "I'm sorry bro. Were they ... blackeyes?"

"No." He murmured.

"I'm sorry," Vinnie said again, lying down with his head on Throttle's shoulder. "I shouldn't have asked."

"It's a normal question, Bro, even if we use different words." The tawny mouse spoke with a detached edge as he put that pain back away and lifted the arm closest to the white mouse to hold him gently across the shoulders.

"Still, I don't think I'm gonna ask about your family." Vinnie sighed. "I'm not sure I want to know."

"None of them left anyway." Throttle sighed. "There's a reason mom kept following a kinfolk around, instead of a Garou."

"Family's just not a good topic," Vinnie said. "I should've known better."

"I'm the one that brought it up." Throttle murmured. "But you know damn near everything else about me."

"Yeah well ... I thought that, you know, while we're racking up the ugly surprises ..."

"Yeah, get it over with." The tawny mouse nodded, holding the mouse close. "I think we covered the gist of most of it. I don't really want to go over names and places."

"That's okay. Neither do I."

"They'll expect me to breed again."

"That's gonna be kinda difficult, with me being a guy."

"Not with my mate, Bro. To improve the species, increase our numbers." Throttle said softly. "With a female chosen for her lineage, compared to mine."

Vinnie made a face. "That sounds ... crappy."

"I don't mind much. There's some choice involved now, not like my first three." Throttle said sadly. "There are enough females I'll be given a selection of willing ones."

"For the continuation of the species," Vinnie repeated, flashing back to something Throttle said before. "They want your kids to be ... like them."

"That's the gist of it." He nodded. "Though sometimes selection is based on ability, like spell weaving or Seer. I'll probably be paired up with other natural leaders."

Vinnie took a moment to take that in. "What happens to the kids?"

"Those involved, their mates, head of family and territory agree on that." Throttle explained quietly. "Though if one side or both don't want to raise the kits, they're never a requirement to. Sometimes a third party will, particularly with both parents warriors."

"That's ... I don't like that much." Even if he wouldn't say it, Vinnie's tone demonstrated how deep the feeling ran.

"We don't have to figure this out now, Bro." Throttle said softly. "They won't bring it up until things calm down. Most they'd match me with wouldn't or shouldn't be den-bound during the war. There's time."

"Yeah. Are there any kids back at the camp, now?"

"Quite a few." He nodded, glancing down at the white mouse curiously. "You're interested in a family, Bro?"

Vinnie shook his head, frowning. "I'm not sure I should be around kids right now."

"I meant in the big picture." Throttle stroked his Bro's snow white fur. "If it's something you thought you'd have someday."

"I dunno. Maybe."

"Then we'll deal with it when it's more of a possibility." Throttle nuzzled his ear very gently. "Neither of us are sure."

"Kids. I never even imagined it before."

"It never came up?" Throttle actually looked surprised. "With you liking girls so much ... I guess I assumed you'd thought about it."

"Girls in general, no girl in particular. You must remember."

"I guess I just associate being interested in girls as going to want a family eventually."

Vinnie chuckled softly. "Gods, me as a father? That'd be a disaster."

"I don't know, Bro. You've got a lot going for you, with a mate or two that can balance it out." Throttle nuzzled him. "Kits should have at least one parent who likes o have fun."

"I guess so. Though you never seemed to have much trouble with that."

That earned that white mouse a raised eyebrow. "Can't say I remember any of it, or wanting to."

Vinnie shrugged, "Maybe it was just my impression then."

"Maybe." Throttle said softly, letting the silence drift as he held his mate gently against his side. The white mouse seemed happy just to lie there with him, enjoying the body contact and slowly relaxing into the new experience.

* * *

* * *

"Vin?" Throttle spoke up softly as they lounged in the sun after dinner. "Have you thought about ... how we'll be together?"

"We are together," Vinnie replied, his head resting on Throttle's chest. "Aren't we?"

"Not as mates yet." He said, bringing a hand up to brush Vinnie's cheek.

"Oh!" Vinnie's eyes widened as he realized what Throttle meant.

"I was just wondering if you'd thought about it, what you want of it."

"No, not really," Vinnie said softly. "I mean, I like being close to you, and I've noticed that it gets you horny. It's just not something I really think about."

"Will you?" Throttle asked gently, his fingers brushing through white fur.

"Sure, I guess," Vinnie said uncertainly. "I mean, I don't really know what's involved."

"Then start with whether you'd like to take me, or be sucked off." Throttle whispered hotly. Vinnie jerked, startled by the sudden change in Throttle's tone, though once the surprise was past it fueled a grin more suited to a naughty schoolboy than a Biker Mouse.

"I always liked getting a head-job," Vinnie confessed. "The girls were kinda hesitant."

"I'm not." He murred, though he kept both hands and tail carefully still.

"You'd do that, wouldn't you?" Vinnie asked softly, looking at his mate and really thinking about it for the first time. "Take my cum in your mouth."

"I _want_ to, Vinnie." He whispered sincerely, clearly turned on by the idea.

"Here? Now?"

"If you permit." Throttle smiled gently despite his hunger.

"I ... uh ... I think I'd like that."

The tawny mouse smiled and kissed his nervous mate very gently on the mouth, not asking for anything more than the touch. That made Vinnie start again, the light brush of Throttle's lips against his. It wasn't what he'd been expecting. He smiled and reached up to touch Throttle's shoulder gently.

"Sorry. I don't think I've ever been this nervous about sex."

"It's okay, Bro." The tawny mouse smiled gently at him before kissing his way down the white jaw and neck. "You'll relax in time."

Vinnie lay back in the grass and tried to relax, though he wasn't entirely successful. He let his hands rest on Throttle's shoulders, feeling the subtle movements of muscle beneath his fur as his Bro moved down his chest to taste and tease his nipples. He drew a sharp shuddering breath as Throttle's lips and tongue teased the nub of flesh on his chest, quickly encouraging it to firm up beneath the attentions. He could feel Throttle smile against his hard chest before he moved to the other side as his tail very gently brushed over Vinnie's balls.

There was a soft moan mixed into the second gasp, Vinnie's other nipple hardening into a solid, erect nub as his mate's lips touched it. That wasn't the only thing growing harder, as Throttle's tail discovered, though the swelling of the white-furred sheath was a much more gradual process. It didn't make a dent in the tawny mouse's eagerness though as he lavished attention on Vinnie's chest with his mouth, and groin with his tail, before trailing a line of kisses down tight, white abs.

Vinnie's breath was running deep and heavy by the time Throttle's head made it down to his waist, a subtle tinge of arousal beginning to make itself felt in the air around their twinned bodies. The scent as much as what his tail felt made Throttle smile as he worked further down, intentionally moving around his mate's groin as he continued down to kiss and stroke snow-white thighs.

Vinnie's muscles trembled beneath the fluttering touch of Throttle's lips, his hands slipping away form the other mouse's shoulders as he continued down beyond Vinnie's reach. He didn't go far though as he settled between white legs to draw one of his mate's balls into his mouth, his tail snaking up to gently brush along Vinnie's antennae.

The response was electric, a tremor that ran all the way from Vinnie's head to his feet. "Oh gods," he gasped softly as his body relaxed slightly, earning a gentle repeat of the stroke to the thin appendages as Throttle rolled his ball around his mouth, lavishing attention on it with his tongue.

"Oh Throttle," Vinnie moaned raggedly, his back arching up off the grass and earning a low rumble that vibrated it's way through Vinnie's ball as Throttle laid his tail flat, lightly caressing both red antennae at once.

Another wordless cry escaped as Vinnie's body twisted in the grass, the musk of his arousal strongest in his groin and growing stronger all the time as he slowly grew accustomed to Throttle's touch on his other nut. It was a cycle that repeated until Vinnie's cock was thick and hard, it's dark pink length laying across the bright white fur in a sight too tempting for Throttle to ignore.

As he shifted his attention, running his tongue up the bare flesh before swallowing it to the sheath in a single motion, his hand took his mouth's place in rolling wet, white balls around. There was no sound, but Throttle could feel the response in Vinnie's body, his muscles tensing as his cock was plunged into the warm wet vault of his Bro's mouth. With skill born of a lot more one night stands and demanding masters than he could count even with his near-perfect memory, Throttle worked his new mate, intent on making this as good for the white mouse as he could.

The moan that eventually came forward from the white mouse was ragged and torn, though the pleasure arcing through his body would have been obvious even if it wasn't for his cock between Throttle's lips. It spurred him to much greater eagerness as the musk and pleasure he was giving made his own heavy cock throb against the mossy grass.

Vinnie's moans were loud and almost strained with pleasure, growing sharper each time he gave them voice until, much to soon, his cum was jetting out into Throttle's throat to be greedily and easily swallowed.

Throttle kept up his attentions until he was sure there was no more coming before slowly drawing back, licking the pulsing, twitching flesh clean as he went. His mate lay spread out on the ground, panting and gasping beneath him.

"Holy fuck," he managed to say eventually.

It spread a happy smile across Throttle's face. "Good." He murmured, settling down to relax as they were before.

"That was like ..." Vinnie's sentence failed as he realized he had nothing to compare the experience to. Instead he kissed Throttle softly, drawing his closer against his body.

"How a mate treats you." Throttle smiled gently as their mouths parted, drawing Vinnie the rest of the way against him.

"I guess so," Vinnie murmured, smiling a little.

"You are incredible, you know." Throttle murmured with a smile.

Vinnie laughed softly. "What makes you say that?"

"You've made me look past so much I've learned, and you taste great." He chuckled.

Vinnie shook his head, chuckling softly. "That's good, I guess."

"It is to me." Throttle smiled and kissed his mate again, brushing his tongue lightly over white lips. Vinnie chuckled and wrapped his arms tightly around Throttle, setting his head on the other mouse's shoulder.

"This is still really weird bro. Good, but weird."

"It'll get less weird." Throttle promised with a gentle smile.

"I hope so," Vinnie said softly. "You're kinda hot."

"You're very hot, Bro." He smiled, wrapping his tail around Vinnie's waist.

* * *

Vinnie woke the next morning to his Bro's hands moving gently over his body, teasing it awake and hard.

The white mouse chuckled softly, pressing back against his mate. "You're insatiable."

"Only for you." Throttle murred against his white neck. "Ready to try something different?"

"What did you have in mind?"

"I want you to mount me." He whispered hotly.

"Fuck your ass, you mean?" Vinnie asked, turning to face the other mouse.

"Exactly." Throttle chuckled slightly and leaned forward to kiss his mate.

"Doesn't that hurt?"

"Only with an inconsiderate partner." Throttle said gently, brushing his fingers along Vinnie's cheek. "It just takes a little more prep than penetrating a female."

Vinnie smiled at the intimate touch, something he'd been getting used to over the last couple of days. "I don't want to hurt you bro, you know that."

"And I want to teach you how to fuck me, the way I like it." Throttle rumbled softly in his arousal as his tail trailed down Vinnie's back to caress the taunt white ass. "I want to see you looking at me as we cum, and feel your weight against my back as our balls slap together and you moan in pleasure."

"You talk a good fuck bro," Vinnie chuckled softly. "Thing is, I'm not exactly known for being gentle."

"I'm not asking for gentle, Bro." Throttle murred deep in his throat. "Just a little prep. I'll show you how."

Vinnie smirked and leaned forward to kiss Throttle gently. "Should of known you liked getting ridden rough."

"Oh, I like it gentle too." He chuckled as his tail retrieved a squeeze bottle from their supplies. "Hell, I like it most ways." Throttle grinned and transferred the bottle to his hand. "Lube and a little stretching are the keys to having it good for both." He explained before squeezing a glob on his fingers. "The more experienced and relaxed the bottom, the less is required."

"Relaxed?" Vinnie smirked. "If some guy was about to get up on my back relaxed is the last thing I'd be."

"Give it time, love." Throttle murmured with a promise as he shifted to slide two fingers in his ass. "It comes with experience. Face to face, on your back, doggy-style?"

The white mouse shrugged, a nervous tension building in him despite his attempt at nonchalance. "Whatever. I've done it all before with women."

"Okay, Bro." Throttle smiled as he brought his hand back around and squeezed a glob of lube his palm to coat his mate's erection, stroking it to full hardness. "On your back."

Vinnie shivered as Throttle's hand touched his maleness, rolling over onto his back. "Damn that stuff's cold."

"It won't be for long." Throttle kissed him gently, laying down next to the prone mouse to take advantage of the open display of fur and muscle while he worked him up. It wasn't at all hard. Throttle was discovering that as his new lover got used to the differences between his body and the ones he was used to his sex drive was returning in force.

"I love how you respond to my touch." Throttle smiled as he shifted to straddle his mate's hips, using his tail to position the slicked cock at the opening to his body before sinking down. Vinnie couldn't offer any response, a soft moan escaping him as his hips bucked upward into Throttle.

"Holy fuck, that's good," Vinnie gasped as his mate moaned softly. "You're so tight."

Throttle's answer was a low groan as he buried his mate all the way to the sheath and held there for a breathless moment. Vinnie lifted his hands to Throttle's hips, drawing him as far down onto his shaft as he could go, then let one set of fingers slide down to trace along the tan mouse's hard rod.

"Oh, yeah." Throttle moaned deep in his chest as he tightened his body around his mate while lifting up almost to the tip before sinking back down as far as he could.

"Fuck Throttle," Vinnie moaned, his fingers stroking the other mouse lightly. "Fuck that's good."

"Very good." He nodded breathlessly; leaning forward to brace his hands on either side of his mate's head and drew up again.

Vinnie's hand tightened around Throttle's shaft for a moment as his own cock twitched inside him, disgorging a small spurt of precum.

"Not much for long and slow, mmm?" Throttle rumbled hotly and picked up the pace a bit, tightening his bowels around his lover with each motion up. "Gods you look good like that."

"I just can't ... oh gods you're hot."

"Then don't hold back." Throttle rumbled and tightened a little more than before as he drew up. "I want to see your face, Bro. The look you get when you cum deep inside me 'cause you can't stand it anymore."

Vinnie closed his eyes and let his head fall back, though tension wracked through his body as Throttle rode him skillfully. His lower abs twitched in time with the pulsing of his cock, the tan mouse's last warning before his guts were flooded with seed. Despite the sweetness of the look and feel, Throttle didn't slow down, fairly sure his Bro was good for more than one shot.

The white mouse ground his hips upward, keeping himself deep inside Throttle as he moved. "So hot," he gasped, pleasure washing across his face even with his eyes closed. "So fucking tight and wet with me."

"Give me more, Bro." Throttle demanded and lifted himself up, spreading his knees further apart as he sought to make contact with the spot inside him that would give his Bro a show of how good this could be for the bottom.

Vinnie's hand was just gripping Throttle now, the idea that he should have been stroking the other mouse lost somewhere between one wave of pleasure and the next. His hips seemed to have a mind of their own, focused entirely on keeping his shaft buried inside the glorious heaven of Throttle's body. This time the tan mouse got even less warning before Vinnie came, a second wave of seed just as powerful as the first washing through him as his own body surrendered it's fight to hold back.

With his seed spraying across the white chest below him, Throttle's own clamped down on his mate, milking it for every bit it was worth as the tawny mouse roared. Vinnie moaned softly, hot  
spurts of seed still jetting from the end of his cock and into Throttle's guts for a second or so before he went completely lax.

Throttle panted for a couple breaths as he came down enough to lean forward to kiss his mate, their bodies still joined and twitching. Vinnie's breath rushed through his lungs, washing over Throttle's fur in hot waves as the other mouse leaned closer.

"Fucking hell," he whispered softly.

"Not bad for a first time, huh?" Throttle grinned down at him.

"You're so tight," Vinnie said again, his cock pulsing inside of Throttle.

"Not as tight as you." He whispered and claimed a soft kiss before licking his cum from his mate's face. "Want more, Bro?" He squeezed his ass gently.

Vinnie swallowed and shook his head. "Not now," he said softly, drained.

"You are gorgeous like this," Throttle murmured as he lifted from Vinnie's body gently and rolled to the side to snuggle against him.

"And you are hotter than anyone I've ever screwed," Vinnie replied, though tenderness outweighed the lust in his voice. "I'm sorry it took me so long."

"Don't be Bro." Throttle brushed the white fur of his cheek with a gentle hand. "We're together now. Leave the rest where it belongs, in the past."

Vinnie sighed softly and lowered his head to Throttle's shoulders, curling himself in against the other mouse as Throttle held him, content to relax with his mate in his arms.

* * *

"Vin?" Throttle nuzzled the white mouse awake two days latter in what was becoming something of a predictable pattern. "You live yet?"

"Mmmmmm ... kinda," Vinnie said in his typically muddled way for this time of morning.

"The rest of you certainly is." Throttle chuckled and gave one antennae a playful lick. That brought the predictable moan as a tremor ran through the white mouse.

"Damn, you know that goes straight to my cock."

"Why do you think I do it, handsome?" Throttle chuckled low in his throat. "It's the most effective way to wake you up, after all."

"Wake me up, or get me up?"

"Both." He laughed playfully. "One does usually lead to the other, after all."

"Just like a Biker Mouse," Vinnie chuckled. "Always got sex on the brain."

"Makes us a good pair." Throttle grinned as he took the other antennae in his mouth to suckle it gently. Vinnie's moan was deeper this time, accompanied by the swelling hardness of his cock nudging Throttle's leg. "My horny little antennae mouse." Throttle chuckled softly as he moved to the other one, swirling his tongue around it much the way he gave a blowjob as his hands and tail traveled along his mate's back to his ass.

Vinnie was in heaven, just as Throttle had known he would be. The white mouse's body trembled in his arms as powerful and pleasurable sensations washed through his body. When he was hard and eager, Throttle let the red length slide from his mouth.

"I'd like to try a new thing again." He said softly, kissing his mate's mouth with tender passion.

"Another one?" Vinnie asked as they parted, his body coming down from the intensity of Throttles mouth around one of his most sensitive appendages. "You've always got another trick up your sleeve."

"Yes, another one." Throttle chuckled. "I've had a lot of practice with games I'm sure you haven't even heard of. But this one is still pretty basic."

"I think I've put it just about everywhere it'll go," Vinnie chuckled softly, "Unless you're about to say something really weird."

"No, not weird, just reversed." Throttle said softy. "Will you let me mount you today?" The white body tensed for a moment before slowly easing back down.

"Fuck me?"

"Yes," Throttle nodded, caressing the white body gently.

"You want to fuck me up the ass," Vinnie repeated.

"Like you've done to me." He tipped Vinnie's chin up for a gentle kiss.

"I dunno, I mean wouldn't you rather just get under me again? They would have heard you on Mars the way you moaned last night."

Throttle smiled gently. "Yes, and I'll make you feel just as good."

"I dunno about this Throttle," Vinnie whispered softly into the tan fur.

"I know it's not because you think I'll hurt you." He murmured gently.

"Well, I mean ..." The mouse trailed off. "I know you wouldn't if you could help it."

"Bro, unless you fight me or refuse the lube or prep, I will not hurt you with this." He said with quiet certainty. "Please, trust me enough to let me prove that."

"Bro ..." Vinnie sighed softly. "I do trust you, you know that."

"Yes, I do." Throttle said gently. "What are you afraid of?"

"I dunno," Vinnie admitted.

Throttle nodded and kissed him gently. "All right, Bro. It can wait for another day."

Vinnie nodded, drawing slow lazy patterns in his mate's fur as Throttle nuzzled him.

"So how would you like to deal with these?"

"You're the expert," the white mouse chuckled.

"And you're the fussy one." Throttle smiled affectionately with another kiss.

"Fussy?" Vinnie raised an eyebrow. "I screwed you good enough."

"Yes, fussy." Throttle smirked. "You're the one that won't do it all."

"Hey! That's not fair."

"How so?" Throttle raised a challenging eyebrow. "It's the truth."

"Don't make me fussy though, mouse, though your ass would satisfy anyone."

"It does make you fussy." Throttle smirked, tapping his mate's nose. "You limit your forms of pleasure. That's fussy in how you cum."

"How about any way that get my seed in you?" Vinnie said with a grin.

"That's still fussy, Bro." Throttle chuckled.

Vinnie snorted, rolling over on his back. "Fine. Take care of yourself."

"Then come join me when you've settled down enough to eat." Throttle said with soft humor, trailing a hand down his mate's cock on his way out of the tent.

It was only a few minutes before Vinnie came out to join him, wandering over to where the tan mouse was sitting. "So what's for breakfast?"

"Whatever you dig out." Throttle smirked at waved at the food bag with his tail.

Vinnie rummaged around in their supplies for a while, eventually managing to put together what he considered to be a passable meal.

"You going to tell me what the problem is, Bro?" Throttle asked quietly as they ate.

"What problem?"

"With being on the bottom." Throttle said simply.

"I just ... I'm not ready for that Throttle."

"All right Bro." He relented with a soft smile.

Vinnie released a soft sigh and smiled. "Bet you never thought we'd be having this conversation."

"Or any of the others from the last few days." Throttle shook his head. "It's been ... interesting ... at least."

"Yeah I guess that's one thing you could call it," Vinnie said with a chuckle.

"Very hot would be another." Throttle rumbled and spread his arms. "Come here, Bro." Vinnie laughed and lunged at the other mouse, tipping him back onto the grass and Throttle wrapped his tail around his mate and kissed him soundly.

"You are hot, you know that right?"

Throttle grinned up at him. "Oh, I know, Bro. But not as hot as you make me."

"Flatterer," Vinnie accused with a smile. "I bet you say that to all the guys that screw you."

"Not hardly." He chuckled and kissed his mate again, running appreciative hands down the hard white body on top of him. "Not hardly." He murmured again softly, with and equally soft, passionate kiss.

Vinnie tussled with him on the grass for a few moments longer and then relaxed, enjoying the feel of Throttle's hard body against his own. A sensation that was still pleasantly new.

"We're going to have to go back soon aren't we?" He murmured eventually, a grudging recognition of the world outside their pleasant idle pairing.

"Not unless you want to." Throttle smiled at him before claiming an increasingly heated kiss.

"You know I don't," the white mouse replied, running his hands up Throttle's sides.

"Neither do I, honestly." Throttle moaned softly as his morning erection reminded them both that it hasn't been satisfied yet.

"So what do you want?" Vinnie asked with a playful smirk.

"You." He breathed hotly, his tail playing over Vinnie's body as he pulled the white mouse against his chest. "All of you."

"You got that bro," Vinnie said, kissing the other mouse square on the lips. "No question."

Then let me feel it, see it," he demanded, rolling to his back with Vinnie on top of him. "I want that hard thing in me till I can't take any more."

"You got it," Vinnie replied, spreading the tan mouse's legs apart and sliding down between them. His own hard cock brushed against Throttle's as their groins came together. "Are you ready for me?"

"Always." Throttle moaned softly as he positioned himself a little better. "Give it to me."

Vinnie drew his hips back and let the head of his cock slide further down between his mate's legs. Once he felt it come to rest against that furless, sensitive sport he pushed forward hard, filling Throttle with his maleness as the tawny mouse groaned deeply, his body contracting and caressing his mate's length as it slid in and out of him.

"Kiss me." Throttle demanded throatily as he shifted his hips to make is easer. Vinnie let his body settle down over Throttle's pressing the tan mouse down into the grass as his hips thrust back and forward, taking him eagerly. There was a smirk on his lips as he pushed them down against Throttle's, his tongue pressing forward into the other mouse for a hungry, breathless kiss.

"Gods you are hot, love." Throttle moaned as they parted for a moment.

"Like you can talk," Vinnie smirked as his hips ground hard against Throttle's. "Fuck but your ass is good."

"Ohh, give it to me." Throttle groaned, his cock twitching between them as he closed in on his limit.

"I'm gonna," Vinnie panted, his hips pounding Throttle against the ground. "Oh yeah, right about ... ahhhhhhhh!" The end of the sentence was lost to Vinnie's loud cry of pleasure, accompanied by the warm splash of his seed inside Throttle's body as the tawny mouse roared and arched, his body tightening around his mate in an intensely passionate embrace as their fur was soaked Martian seed.

Vinnie pressed down against his mate as he recovered, slipping his tongue back into Throttle's mouth. The pace of his thrusts only slacked off for a few seconds before he was back to pounding himself deep into his lover. It was a choice Throttle eagerly encouraged, dueling tongues as his hands and tail worked over the white body above him.

As the hungry coupling continued, Throttle used his tail to caress Vinnie's ass, gradually working closer to the furless pucker to tease it gently. The white mouse barely seemed to notice, his cock pounding in to Throttle harder and harder as his passion mounted.

"Oh, yeah, Bro." Throttle moaned softly, his hands pressing down on Vinnie's ass to add that much more force to the thrusts.

The encouragement only goaded Vinnie on to greater efforts, the white mouse grunting softly with each thrust as he drilled deeper and deeper into the tight warmth of Throttle's body.

Whatever Throttle was going to say next was lost in a deep moan as a jolt of raw pleasure washed over his body. Vinnie smirked lewdly, grinding his hips to rub the head of his cock over the spot that gave Throttle so much pleasure and was rewarded by a shudder and another desperate moan as Throttle's cock pulsed and twitched between them.

"Spray me Throttle," Vinnie grinned, his cock throbbing inside the tan mouse's body. "Soak me."

"Ohhh, gods." He managed to whimper out between gasps of nerve-breaking pleasure before a shudder from deep inside his body pulled his balls tight and he arched, clamping down on the hard rod inside him and spraying white and tan fur with his cum again. Vinnie gave a couple more thrusts and released a second spray of his own seed into Throttle's body, letting his body go lax as he settled down over his mate.

"Mmmm, the only way to start a morning." Throttle murmured, stroking the relaxing body over him.

Vinnie kissed his lips softly, grinning. "Tell me about it. I never get tired of this."

"Now we need another bath." Throttle chuckled with a playful smirk, claiming another kiss. "Have any of your girls rimmed you?" He rumbled hotly.

"Done what?"

"I'll take that as a no." Throttle smirked up at him. "I'll have to show you, once we've cleaned up."

Vinnie smirked. "You're just full of surprises, aren't you hot stuff?"

"You are just incredibly innocent." He smirked back.

"Innocent?" Vinnie laughed as they separated. "It's been a hell of a long time since I was called that."

"It's been a hell of a long time since you were with someone who liked more than a simple fuck." Throttle chuckled. "We'd be out here years covering what I like."

"I'm in no hurry," Vinnie smirked, flicking his tail aside to give Throttle an unobstructed view of his ass as he stepped into the water.

"Neither am I," he rumbled, cybernetic eyes giving him a delightful, if slightly unnatural, view of the display of mouse flesh before he slipped into the water.

"So did you actually want to get clean, or are we just having wetter sex?"

"Oh, we'll get to that," Throttle chuckled and picked up the soap. "But I want you, or at least part of you, clean for it."

Vinnie smirked softly, making a display of stretching his shoulders. "You think I'm gonna stop you from putting your hands on me?"

"I would hope not." The tawny mouse rumbled at the delightful display before setting his hands on sweaty white shoulders and working his respectable massage skills on his mate.

"I'd have to be mad," Vinnie murmured softly, his tail reaching back to wrap around Throttle's waist as skilled hands worked the tension and exertion from his body.

"You are just gorgeous, Bro." Throttle rumbled throatily as he worked across Vinnie's ribs.

"Tell me something I don't know," Vinnie boasted jokingly. "You're not the first one to fall for my utter sexiness."

"But I am the first in a long time to get you to call me mate." He murmured affectionately and hugged his lover from behind, nuzzling his neck. "Unless you've been having a secret affair somewhere."

"No," Vinnie said shaking his head. "And I wouldn't have called her that in any case."

"Anyone I know?" He asked in idle curiosity, rubbing suds into the hard planes of Vinnie's chest and abs.

Vinnie thought about that for a moment. "Let's see. Remember Sora, about a month ago? She was a screamer."

Throttle chuckled. "I don't doubt it." His tail slid up between their legs to play with his mate's balls. "You do have good taste in female flesh."

A low chuckle escaped the mouse as he thought back. "And that other woman, Leelen. The one you said walked as if she had a rod stuck up her. She did."

"Yours?" Throttle chuckled affectionately in his mate's ear.

"Only after we got the fake one out of the way."

"Mmm, a kinky doe." He rumbled approvingly. "A female adds _so_ many possibilities to our play."

Vinnie shrugged. "I dunno. I think you'll keep me busy."

"I'm sure I will." He smiled against wet white fur and shifted back a little to work down Vinnie's back. "Just open to the idea."

"I've got enough ideas to deal with at the moment."

"No problem, Bro." He wrapped his tail around Vinnie's waist and squeezed gently while his hands worked on the hard white ass in front of him.

"Not while you've got your hands on me."

"Or my mouth." Throttle rumbled as he knelt in the water and kissed his way down Vinnie's back. As he moved down, one sudsy hand slipping between the globs of white fur to run gentle, teasing fingers over the furless pucker.

"You've got a fucking fantastic mouth," Vinnie agreed, his entrance tightening up as Throttle touched it.

"And I know other things to do with it." Throttle grinned as he rinsed the bare skin before swirling his tongue around it.

Vinnie gave a loud, alarmed cry and took a couple of steps forward. "What was that?" he asked as he turned to face Throttle.

"Rimming." Throttle looked up at his mate. "It usually feels good."

"That was your mouth, right? Scared the fuck out of me."

"Yes, why?" He looked up curiously.

Vinnie shook his head slowly. "Just startled me. That's not the sort of thing you should be springing on a guy without warning."

Throttle raised an eyebrow. "Okay. It's normal foreplay a lot of places."

Vinnie smirked. "Normal for you perhaps. Just let me know next time you decide to go exploring down under, so it's not so much of a shock."

"All right, Bro." Throttle smiled apologetically. "Now come back here so I can finish."

Vinnie rolled his eyes theatrically as he stepped closer to the other mouse. "I dunno, just can't keep your hands to yourself anymore."

"Never could." Throttle chuckled before going back to work on the virgin ass of his mate. His tensed up reflexively as Throttle's tongue touched him, though he didn't pull away this time.

"Never touched me like this before though," he smirked.

His mate gave no verbal reply, his full attention and skill on showing the white mouse how good it could feel.

"Damn Throttle," Vinnie said softly, "That's kinda ... ahhh yeah, do that again."

The tawny mouse rumbled happily and continued, intent on having his mate trembling between his hands before he went further.

"Fucking hell mouse," Vinnie gasped softly as the wetness swirled around his pucker with increasing insistence. "The things you do with that tongue of yours."

That got a playful hum that carried all the way to the tip of Throttle's tongue as it swirled and lapped.

"Aww fuck," Vinnie moaned, reaching his hands back to find Throttle's head, and then the sensitive antennae atop it. The returned pleasure only gave Throttle more determination, as the square hips between his hands began to tremble ever so slightly.

"Damn but that feels good," Vinnie panted softly. "Don't stop, gods don't stop."

Despite the soft chuckle in his throat, it was the very last thing on Throttle's mind. He continued for a moment, then slipped the tip of his tongue inside to taste the bitterness of his mate's ass for a second before returning to the swirling licking of before. Vinnie's back arched, a ragged moan tearing out of the white mouse at even that tiny penetration.

It was what Throttle was looking for, and he grew much bolder with his tongue, darting inside more often, and deeper, as his mate's moans and body encouraged him.

"Oh fuck yeah," Vinnie moaned, pressing his ass back against Throttle's face. "Do it."

The tawny mouse was more than happy to do so, thrusting his tongue as deep as it would go to roll around the tight virgin ass in a blatant mimic of the sex act as his tail came up to wrap around Vinnie's full cock, stroking it and soft white balls in him with his tongue.

"Oh fuck," Vinnie moaned, his ass twitching and pulsing around Throttle's tongue as it moved inside his body. "Fuck yeah."

It was all Throttle needed to turn his full attention to tongue-fucking his mate, seeking every sensitive place inside his body his supple tongue could reach. Vinnie panted and moaned, rocking back and forward slightly as the muscles of his legs tensed and relaxed in response to the waves of pleasure rushing through him. Only the effort needed to make sure he was still standing kept him from loosing it completely, though nothing could hold back his very vocal encouragement, or the effect it had on the skilled and eager tongue probing and pleasuring him.

In the end it was more than the white mouse could stand, his loud cry echoing over the water as his seed arced through the air to splash in the clear pool. As he began to loose balance, Throttle's hands and tail were there to support him, and then turn him around to pull tightly against the broad tan chest. He rested limply against his bro for a few moments before curling his arms around to hold him tight against his chest.

"Fuck," he muttered softly. "What the hell was that?"

"A rather good orgasm, from the sound of it." Throttle murred with a playful chuckle.

"Not the best I ever had," Vinnie said, recovering enough to smirk lewdly, "But damn good all the same."

"And from getting your ass penetrated." Throttle smirked back.

"Smartass," Vinnie smirked. "I shouoda known you'd bring that up."

"Hay, I wanna get some too." He smirked at his mate. "You've got a hot ass, Bro."

"You've been doing just fine," Vinnie replied. "I hear the way you scream my name when I'm in you."

"Yes, and I love it when you fuck me." Throttle tipped Vinnie's chin so they were eye to eye through his shades. "But an equal relationship doesn't have an exclusive top and bottom, Bro. You know how good it feel to be inside your mate."

"Oh yeah," the white mouse grinned. "You've got a hot ass on you bro."

"So do you." Throttle murmured, kissing the edge of Vinnie's jaw and working down. "I want to know you as well as you know me."

"You do know me," Vinnie murmured softly.

"I haven't been inside you, like you have me." Throttle whispered as his mouth played down Vinnie's neck.

"I know that," Vinnie replied softly, trying not to be distracted by Throttle's lips against him and failing miserably.

"I want to be inside you, Bro." Throttle murmured. "I want to feel you cum under me, around me, because of me."

Vinnie whimpered softly, the imagery combining with Throttle's attentions to make him hard again. "I always come because of you Throttle," he whispered. "No-one else."

"Let me show you the pleasure you give me, Bro." He murmured, his hands sliding down the hard white body against his as his mouth continued to work on Vinnie's throat. "Please, don't be afraid of what I do to you."

"You can talk me into anything," Vinnie murmured. "And you know it."

"And you won't regret that, Bro." Throttle murred gently. "I will make you feel so good."

"You realize we're soaked and just standing in the water again," Vinnie managed a little smirk.

"Then come lie in the sun with me." Throttle smiled tenderly and guided the white mouse out of the pool.

"I guess it worked last time," Vinnie said, letting Throttle guide him onto the soft moss and grass sunlit clearing around the spring.

"I've fantasized about having you for so long." Throttle murmured against Vinnie's neck as his hands and tail played along the hard white body.

"I never guessed," the white mouse murmured softly, enjoying the intimate touch. "You hid it pretty well."

"I wasn't trying much." Throttle confessed as his mouth worked lower. "So hot."

"I guess I didn't want to notice," Vinnie admitted, his fingers tracing over Throttle's shoulders and down his side. "I would've freaked out."

"Good enough reason as any." He smiled as he worked back up, one slick finger gently pressing against Vinnie's opening. The white mouse's body still tensed up at the touch, but he didn't say anything about it, leaning in closer against Throttle as the finger pressed further inside him, gently seeking the spot inside his body that would take his mind off exactly what was happening.

Vinnie gave a sharp gasp, his passage clamping down around Throttle's finger. With a smile, Throttle continued his gentle finger-fucking, taking care to brush lightly against that spot every few strokes. That touch drew a soft moan out of the white mouse, his face buried against Throttle's shoulder and he breath washing out over the tan fur. Very slowly his body began to relax, making it easier for Throttle to reach into him.

When his mate was relaxed enough for it to not hurt, Throttle eased a second finger in with the first, brushing against that spot as he did so. Vinnie's back arched as Throttle slipped his second finger in, breath hissing out around clenched teeth. The ring of muscled guarding his entrance squeezed the fingers against one another, resisting the unfamiliar stretching. It was a resistance that faced the same patient care as his initial tension, Throttle kissing and distracting him with his mouth to ease the process.

The tan mouse's patience was rewarded, as he'd known it would be, by a relaxing of the guardian muscles. As he continued that relaxation seemed to spread throughout Vinnie's form, a soft quality spreading through the solidly muscled body pressed against Throttle's own as he smiled, and took one antennae into his mouth to gently lavish with his tongue before adding a third slick finger to the preparation.

This new intrusion didn't escape Vinnie's notice, a soft yelp of surprise escaping him despite the pleasure of Throttle's tongue on his most sensitive organs.

"The more prep, the easier it will be." Throttle explained gently.

"You said," Vinnie managed to say, though his voice wasn't exactly at ease.

"It won't hurt, Bro." He murmured the promise again. "I'm making sure of that." Vinnie didn't reply, pressing his face in against Throttle's neck as his body tightened around the fingers inside it again. The tawny mouse didn't let it disturb him, but simply continued to work, pressing against that spot inside as he attended to Vinnie's antennae.

Vinnie's body trembled against Throttle's, one arm tight around the other mouse as he felt those fingers moving back and forth inside of him. "Throttle," he murmured softly. "Throttle ..." If there was anything else it never made it out, just the name repeated over and over again as the tawny mouse worked him loose.

When Throttle was satisfied, he slid his fingers out and lowered his muzzle to tend the swollen sheath to hardness. He got a better response with that approach, the nervous tension receding from Vinnie's body as Throttle pleasured him just as he had several times over the last few days.

With the white mouse moaning softly and hard, Throttle moved behind him and applied his tongue to the stretched ass before Vinnie even had the chance to tense at the shift. Vinnie's body moved smoothly in front of Throttle, the white mouse making a concerted effort to keep his breathing slow and steady.

Then they were back to chest on their sides, Throttle's tail sliding around his mate's body to help position him and a hand gently stroking the mouse's erection as he pressed smoothly inside Vinnie's body with a deep moan of pleasure, holding still just inside the ring of muscle to give them time to adjust. The white mouse gave a long low moan as Throttle pushed into him, his fingers tangling in the grass as the hard length slowly slid further in, its passage smooth and painless as promised thanks to lube and prep.

After resting with his sheath against his mate's ass for a long, sweet moment Throttle pulled back just as smoothly until only the head of his cock was still inside. The sound Vinnie made was neither moan nor cry, but some half choked half-breed of the two, his body beginning to tremble in Throttle's arms again as Throttle sank into the blissful right heat against, intentional grazing the spot inside Vinnie that would make the white mouse moan in pleasure.

Vinnie's entire body jerked at the touch, a wordless moan escaping through his lips as his body clutched at the harness buried within it. With a moan of his own Throttle set a slow, easy pace; pressing against the spot inside as his tail stroked Vinnie's cock. With one hand he urged his mate's head back, to take one sensitive antennae into his mouth.

The next moan was more recognizably one of pleasure, making its way out between Vinnie's rapid panting breaths as the slow thrusting continued in conjunction with more familiar pleasures. Vinnie lifted a hand up of the ground and reached back to touch Throttle's leg, fingers twisting into the other mouse's fur.

"Cum for me Bro." Throttle whispered when he felt Vinnie was growing close. "Cum with me."

The twitching of Vinnie's ass grew more and more rapid, drawing Throttle's cock deeper as he moaned and twisted around the solid rod of flesh impaling him. It drew a more concerted effort by the tail wrapped around his cock, and a return of attention to his other antennae.

Finally it was too much, Vinnie's hips bucking blindly against the constraining tail as his cum sprayed out over the grass, and his body tightened around Throttle's cock deep inside him. A moan and thrust latter saw his insides drenched with his lover's seed.

Throttle held his mate tenderly against his chest as they regained their breath.

"Thank you, love."

Vinnie moaned softly, letting his head fall against the grass. "That was ..." he murmured very quietly, not finishing as Throttle held him close.

"I feel like I need another bath," the white mouse managed to say eventually.

"Sure, thing, Bro." Throttle kissed him gently on the neck as he withdrew and helped Vinnie to his feet. Vinnie sighed softly as the hardness inside him retreated, letting his entrance close. He rested against the grass for a few moments before climbing to his feet, moving slowly. "Want some help with it, Bro?"

Vinnie nodded slowly, leaning against the other mouse. "Of course," he murmured, a smile finding it's way to his lips as he was helped to the water edge, the bubbling cool water seeping through his fur.

Vinnie sighed softly, lifting his legs up off the bottom and letting himself float in the water as his mate watched drift.

* * *

"You okay, Bro?" Throttle asked when the sun had noticeably moved and Vinnie had not.

"Yeah," Vinnie said softly. "It's kinda relaxing."

"Don't think I've ever seen you be still this long." He smiled at his mate.

Vinnie thought about that for a while. "I guess not."

"I think I like you relaxed." Throttle murred as his tail played over a muscular white leg.

Vinnie reached down and wrapped his hand around Throttle's tail, pulling gently to draw himself through the water towards Throttle. "I wouldn't get used to it," Vinnie smirked. "It's kinda nice, but not really my thing."

"Unlike some things you've tried recently." He smirked and pulled the white mouse against him for a kiss. Vinnie let the kiss drag on, in not hurry to draw his mouth away from his mate's.

"Don't worry hot-stuff," the white mouse smirked as they came apart. "You're very much my thing."

"Glad to heard that." He smiled and leaned in to claim another kiss. "Because you're addictive."

Vinnie tipped himself upright again, putting his feet down and pressing back against Throttle as he kissed him deeper, a welcome advance as Throttle's tail wrapped around them to pull them tightly together. Eager hands explored hard muscle covered by wet white fur as Throttle's words were proved very true from the evidence between his legs.

"You're a horny boy Throttle," Vinnie whispered hotly by his ear, one hand reaching up between the other mouse's thighs.

"Just addicted to you. Bro." His breath quickened at the contact. "You feel so good."

Vinnie flashed a devastating, dirty smirk into his mate's face before he ducked his head, kissing his way down Throttle's neck and onto his chest, encouraged by moans and soft whimpers as Throttle's scent deepened in his growing arousal.

Vinnie sank slowly downwards, his lips and tongue working across Throttle's fur until he was kneeling in the water. Throttle's shaft stood full and proud in front of his face as the tawny mouse trembled lightly, his hands ghosting over Vinnie's antennae and ears.

The white mouse's tail wrapped around Throttle's waist as he nuzzled the mouse's balls. The tip reached down between the firm globes of the tan mouse's ass, probing for the entrance to his body as Throttle moaned eagerly, his cock twitching his Vinnie's tail pressed into him.

"You're not the only one who can have interesting ideas." Vinnie grinned.

"Do tell." Throttle breathed. "Or just do."

The tip of Vinnie's tail traced around the entrance to Throttle's body, circling it twice, and then slipping inside. As the flexible appendage reached deeper into the hot flesh, following a path his cock had followed several times in the last few days, his lips and tongue touched against Throttle's shaft.

"Oh, yeah." The tawny mouse shivered in excitement, his arms stretching back to brace against the pool's edge.

The twisting of Vinnie's tail inside Throttle was much more enthusiastic than the attention his mouth was giving. His inexperience showing even though he did his best to please his new mate, and it was an enthusiasm that drew eager encouragement from the tawny mouse.

Vinnie closed his mouth around the head of Throttle's cock as his tail probed ever deeper into Throttle's body, shifting back and forward through the tight passage to mimic a fucking motion.

"Oh, yeah, Bro." Throttle's voice was low and hungry as he brought one hand forward to stroke the white mouse's antennae and guide his motion. "Suck me." Vinnie let Throttle's hands guide the movement of his head, his tongue wrapping around the thick shaft and drawing it deeper into his mouth. He didn't even try to take the whole thing, concentrating on using his lips and tongue to please Throttle.

It was an effort that was well rewarded in moans as the tawny mouse shifted back and down so he could bring both hands forward, his own tail slipping between Vinnie's legs to caress and cup his balls and sheath. The tan mouse's ass was slowly stretched wider as Vinnie's tail slipped deeper and deeper into him, much further than any male's cock could go.

A shudder passed through Throttle's body at the deep penetration, drawing a loud moan as a drop of precum oozed from his cock. Inexpert as it was the combined attentions of Vinnie's tongue and tail continued to bring Throttle ever closer to climax from eagerness and the tawny mouse's own fantasies as much as physics.

"Bro," Throttle voice was strained as his fingers tightened around Vinnie's head for a moment before relaxing to let him move, "I'm close."

Vinnie drew his head off the other mouse's cock, his mouth working it's way along the underside of the shaft, his fingertips rubbing slowly over the head. His tail stopped probing deeper into Throttle's guts and started working back and forward inside him, a deep, thorough fucking, even if it wasn't as forceful as when Vinnie was on top of him. It was sufficient however, drawing a series of increasingly desperate grunting moans until he shuddered and roared, sending jets of hot cum over his mate's fingers to splash on Vinnie's mask, fur and the water around them.

Vinnie chuckled softly, ducking his head under the water to wash Throttle's seed away. "How was that, Biker Boy?"

"Damn good for a beginner." He grinned at the other mouse between deep breaths. "You looked so hot."

"And since when is that a surprise?"

"Only the part about it being real and not a particularly delicious fantasy." Throttle chuckled as he pulled his mate to his feet for long, passionate kiss. "But you've made me hungry for something more substantial than your tail." He rumbled as his tail traced up Vinnie's sheath.

"Maybe once we're dry," Vinnie chuckled softly. "The water's cold when you're drenched in it."

"Sun is right this way." Throttle grinned and pulled his Bro out of the pool and onto the mossy grass. Vinnie chuckled softly, tussling with Throttle on the grass for a few seconds before they settled down and stretched out in he sun.

"This is great," Vinnie said softly, his head resting in Throttle's shoulder and his tail wrapped around the other mouse's waist.

"Couldn't agree more, Bro." Throttle nuzzled him as his tail mirrored the affectionate gesture.

"Bet you never thought I'd go nature boy though. Not really my thing."

"A lot has happened recently I bet I'd never see." He smiled at the hunk of a white mouse laying half on top of him. "Our becoming mates is definitively the best part so far."

"You really wanted to screw around with me all that time?" Vinnie asked, raising his remaining eyebrow.

"Nah, only the last ten years so or of it."

"Ten years?" Vinnie shook his head softly. "Fuck bro, I don't even remember whose tail I was chasing that long ago."

"Any with a shapely set of hips attached to it." Throttle chuckled. "Same as ten weeks ago."

Vinnie chuckled softly and nodded. "Yeah, probably."

"You were _such_ a tease." He nuzzled Vinnie affectionately.

"I never was!" The white mouse retorted.

"Like hell you weren't." Throttle smirked. "With your ass and your assets in those tight jeans and nothing covering the rest of this rock hard body of yours and every inch of you screaming sexy. That was bordering on cruelty, Bro."

"Only if you ..." Whatever Vinnie had been going to say didn't make it out. "But you were hot for me," he finished softly.

"Yeah," he murmured. "I am."

"You're pretty hot yourself bro," Vinnie murmured. "I never thought of a guy that way before."

"I wasn't the only one, you know." Throttle said softly, stroking Vinnie's fur. "You caught a lot of eyes, about half of them you never saw."

"You're the only one for me."

Throttle squeezed him tightly before claiming a gentle kiss. "Thank you, Bro."

"S'a bit of a change, huh?"

"Just a little bit of one." He chuckled softly. "I _never_ figured I'd get you to myself."

"It just ... feels right. We've been watching out for one another for longer than I've even known anyone else." Vinnie drew Throttle closer. "And this time alone, without Modo, it's changed things."

"We were never just two before." Throttle murmured, stroking Vinnie's back. "And he's found a lifemate of his own too."

"Yeah." Vinnie didn't sound as happy about it as Throttle had hoped he would. "I saw."

"He's happy with Thildon, Bro." He said softly.

"He'd better be," the white mouse replied, his voice a soft rumble.

"If he's not, there will be hell to pay." Throttle said with quiet intensity.

"You got that damn right," Vinnie agreed, a dark and familiar note running beneath his voice.

"And if he is, Bro?" Throttle asked softly. Vinnie didn't say anything, but given the tension Throttle could feel in his body that might have been just as well.

"Did you always want guys?" He asked after some time, changing the topic completely. "Like, since you were a kid?"

"As long as I've been interested in anyone." He nodded.

"What about girls?"

"Same." Throttle said softly. "First serious anything was with a girl. It was a very good year while it lasted."

"Oh." Vinnie sounded surprised. "I always kinda assumed it was one or the other."

"I know a few people who are, but most who will consider their own gender like both." He kissed his mate gently. "I have a preference for males, but it's far from exclusive." He chuckled softly, though there was a note of longing to it. "Hell my last serious lover was female."

"I don't even remember," Vinnie said softly, resting his hand against Throttle's chest. "Shows how much attention I've been paying."

"You'd have to be watching me real hard to catch anything," he murmured, stroking white fur. "I've keep my private life just that for longer than we've known each other."

"Not anymore," Vinnie grinned, "At least not from me."

"Because you're part of it now, Bro." Throttle smiled softly. "But I was seeing some you wanted for almost two years and you never saw us."

"I don't even remember the last time we spent two years in the same place," the white mouse chuckled. "I guess it must have been ... oh no, man. You didn't."

"Charley is a very sweet bedmate, even if she did want you more." He chuckled softly.

"Damnit Throttle, that's low!"

"Nothing low about it." He shook his head. "She asked me when she couldn't get through to your thick head. Poor girl hadn't had a lover in too long."

"You know I would've rolled her in about a second." He smirked. "At least I would've if I could get her away from Modo a while. All that going on about his mama made it kinda hard to get a rise."

"She had plenty of time to be alone," Throttle nuzzled his mate. "You just never saw it."

"I don't think I really want to know."

"Well next time you see her _say_ something about spending the night." Throttle smiled gently.

Vinnie chuckled, turning his face against Throttle's neck. "I'll be spending the night with you."

"That's not mutually exclusive Bro." He cocked a grin. "She developed a few very hot fantasies with both of us. It was interesting to spend the night trading ideas about a mutual obsession we both figured we'd never have."

"Oh gods," Vinnie murmured. "Don't remind me of that if we go back there. I won't be able to look at her."

"Why not?" He asked curiously. "Wasn't that the point of all that preening and strutting?"

"Not to have the two of you lie there and talk about me that way," Vinnie said plaintively.

"Well, we couldn't get _you_ between us, so we settled for second best."

"Smartass. If you weren't so sexy I'd take off."

"You're already down to the fur, Bro." Throttle smirked playfully, his tail brushing over the hard white body to prove the point.

"Damn, now that you mention it I haven't worn clothes in ... I've lost track. There's this sexy guy who keeps distracting me."

"I know," he grinned with a low chuckle. "I seem to have a similar problem."

"I don't think of it as a problem," Vinnie smirked. "There's nowhere I want to hurry off to."

"You have a point Bro." Throttle smiled and held him close. "A very good point."


	10. Mothers to Choose

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Modo's new status brings with it some interesting side effects.

"Good hunting, I see." Vah'ran greeted Thildon and Modo with a smile as they came into the village clearing. "Chief wants to see you, about a mother."

"Very good." Modo grinned at the sentinel.

"What can I say, my catch is good at catching dinner." Thildon grinned, taking the opportunity to brag as he always did.

"You keep talking like that and someone is going to steal him." Vah'ran laughed, his golden eyes dancing in the light.

"They can try." The rusty mouse smirked.

Modo chuckled. "But they wouldn't have much luck." He said wrapping his tail around Thildon's waist playfully.

Thildon snaked his around his mate's before wrapping it around Modo's waist. "Got that right."

"Take it inside before someone gags." Vah'ran laughed broadly at the pair. "Just see the chief when you've dropped that off with the keepers."

Modo nodded, and headed for the keepers in the center of the village circle, his tail still loosely around his mate's waist. "I think we'll have to wait to take it inside though." He smirked.

"Not that it wouldn't be cheered on if we didn't." Thildon smirked, his tail caressing his mate's hard ass as they walked.

"I'm not that much of exhibitionist." Modo chuckled, as his tail snaked teasingly under his mate's loincloth.

"You're getting close there, Modo." A sleek cream female chuckled as she came up to take their catch with sway in her hips. "And you're mate is definitely correct."

"Oh, I'm sure he is." Modo grinned as he handed over their catch. "And close is where it gets interesting."

"Definitely." She smiled, touching a little more than strictly required when taking their catch.

"Guess we better get moving, the Chief is expecting us." Modo said to Thildon. The flirting, something new, made him realize that the news really had gotten around quickly. "Later, Froth." He said with his usual friendly smile, not wanting to give the wrong impression before he decided what the right one was. Abashed flirting was more Vinnie's style than his.

"See you around," she smiled and waved them off.

"I'd say someone's testing the waters." Thildon chuckled.

"So I noticed." Modo said chuckled softly. "The rumor mill works quickly."

"Well, she's of age to be _seriously_ looking," he leaned close to the other mouse. "She liked you before, you know."

"Well, she was always friendly." He agreed. "The flirting is new though, and not entirely unwelcome." He grinned.

"You weren't an option before." Thildon pointed out quietly. "It's one thing for a warrior to take an outsider they can't breed with as a mate. It's very much another for a keeper to try, when they can. She is pretty for a female, though. Good hips, and a nice voice."

"Oh, I didn't know that." Modo said quietly. "So the new status makes me a possibility I wasn't before, for some." He nodded. "And yes, she is. Not hardly rushing into anything, I'm quite satisfied with the mate I have." He said, leaning to nuzzle Thildon as they walked.

"For the female half of the population." Thildon nodded and leaned into the contact. "We are careful with breeding partners. It's too easy to loose the blood with so many races around. A female keeper might be worth considering, since you like them." He said softly. "I don't mind."

"We'll see." Modo said softly. "I've never really considered females except for a little casual play."

"Well, if we decide on kits of our own, it really is the way to go." Thildon said quietly. "They'd be _our_ kits, not just yours."

"Really?" Modo said curiously. "How's that work?" He asked warming to the idea considerably more.

"As your mate, she'd be mine too, whether I ever touch her or not. Kits are always considered the kits of _all_ mated males, if it's not a breeding contract."

"Oh, that's interesting." Modo nodded. "Breeding contract would be the two required litters?" He asked thoughtfully.

"Yes, though they are used in any circumstances where sir and dam are not mates and do not wish to be." Thildon nodded. "You've heard folks refer to both sire and father, and damn and mother, when referencing their folks?"

"Yeah, I kind of wondered about that but it didn't seem important." He said quietly. "You mean people have kits together, beyond the requirement, when they don't want to be together?" He asked curiously.

"For all sorts of reasons," Thildon nodded. "And sometimes they are raised by a third party, when the parents are of excellent blood, but don't want to raise kits. If you take a female mate and have kits, you are their sire, she is their dam, we are both their father and she is their mother. One is lineage, the other is social. Both are respected."

Modo nodded. "And I thought humans were complicated with all their step-relations and half-siblings." He chuckled. "But there is a logic to it."

"It became necessary, with the breeding contracts becoming a standard for everyone, and so many kits being raised by others." Thildon nodded. "Lineage is critical to us, but raising kits is one of the most respected duties. Both needed to be acknowledged without loosing the other."

"I'm guessing lineage is one of those things that figures into the females the elders are picking for me." He said quietly.

"And how much respect you get beyond your skill and basic kinfolk status." Thildon nodded slightly. "And why Throttle got go much respect so quickly. Since you have strong spell weaver blood and some gift as a Seer, even uncontrollable, those traits will be sought in the heritage of those chosen. How long since each bloodline has produced a Garou is also considered. Plus a bunch of politics and what villages have room, given the expected litter size."

"Politics figures in?" Modo asked, a bit surprised.

"Yeah. Some families don't get along, some bloodlines stick to themselves, and it's regularly used to help solidify alliances and multi-family bonds." Thildon explained. "It helps narrow down the pool to a reasonable level."

"Given I haven't got but one living relative, I guess that simplifies the politics." Modo smiled weakly, and then thought about something. "If I'm kinfolk, then my mother's sister's son probably is too, right?" He asked curiously.

"He _is_." Thildon nodded. "Unless he's Garou."

"Well, he doesn't have any of the telltales, but I bet that'd be great-grandmother's enchantment at work. I suppose its possible. Are the shifting abilities active at birth, or do they activate some time later?" He asked curiously.

"Sometime in adolescence." Thildon smiled softly. "Usually between fifteen and nineteen, but sometimes as late as the early twenties or as young as ten."

"Then Rimfire could be Garou, but the ability just hasn't surfaced." He said quietly. "He was seventeen last I saw him."

"I hope we get to him before that happens." Thildon said softly. "That would not make for a long life to go through his First Change without kin nearby."

"Aside from the reactions of other Mice, is there a danger?" Modo asked, concerned. "And is how to change back instinctive or taught?"

"No real danger, and changing is instinctive, but controlling it is taught." Thildon explained easily. "I expect control could be figured out on your own with enough time, but that isn't likely given the hostility level."

"A lot of Mars doesn't have a hostility level anymore, 'cause there's no one there." Modo said quietly. "Rimfire's kind of a loner, but I hope we can get back and find him before it happens, assuming he is, which he might not be. Though given the lack of Garou in the line recently, I suppose the odds of one are getting pretty good."

"Probably, it tends to max around five generations between manifesting."

"Any idea how long before the whole return process starts?" He asked, a little worried about Rimfire.

"It's already started." Thildon smiled at him. "The leaders and war-chiefs from all the settlements are gathering now, and I think the scout teams have already been sent."

"As much as I'm actually happy here, I need to find Rimfire." He said quietly, a little subdued by the new worry.

"I expect the scouting parties are already looking for him." Thildon wrapped his tail around Modo's waist. "We can bring it up with chief Urrmi, and make sure they do."

"I just hope he's on Mars, and not on Earth. The humans wouldn't handle it well if he slipped into Lumari there. Well, actually they wouldn't handle it any worse than Vinnie." He shook his head.

"It'll be okay, love." Thildon squeezed his tail reassuringly before scratching on the chief's hut to be admitted.

Modo didn't say anything, but simply kissed his mate on the cheek affectionately, and followed him inside when the chief called them. Urrmi was sitting in the middle of the hut with three female mice in various states of relaxation on his right. He motioned them to be seated and smiled at the gray warrior.

"Welcome, Modo, Thildon." He greeted them. "As Modo has no kin to represent him, I have taken the duty. These three are all of suitable lineage and gift, and find having kits with you agreeable."

Modo nodded politely to the three before turning to Urrmi. "Chief Urrmi, no disrespect to the proceedings intended but I need to ask something of you." The big mouse's tone and body language were very polite, but there was worry written there as well.

"Of course, Modo." He inclined his head to the kinfolk warrior. "What concerns you?"

"My recent discovery of my Garou ancestor, has made me realize that my sole surviving kin is at least Kinfolk and may be Garou." He said levelly, forcing himself to stay calm. "He's nineteen, and my understanding is that if he's Garou, First Change could find him at any time." He said, pausing briefly. "Is there any way that the scout parties could be instructed to keep an eye out for him?" He asked very politely, realizing that it was asking to add something of personal interest to a military mission.

"They already have instructions to seek out any kin that might still survive," the chief said. "However, if you can provide any information on how to find him, word will be sent forward to have them contact him, and bring him back if he will come."

"I'm sure he will when he finds out I'm here." Modo said easily, and provided a detailed description of the teenager. "He usually lives around the Soros Valley in the Northern Territory."

"I will see that the scouts are informed." Urrmi promised quietly. "Is there anything else?"

"No, Chief, and thank you." Modo said politely, as he relaxed noticeably. He turned to look at the three female mice, and found it strange he couldn't remember the last female he'd been with.

"The first issue to deal with is whether you and your mate wish to raise any of the kits of this litter." Urrmi presented before introducing the females, who were clearly sizing up Modo.

Modo had to think about that one, and found himself echoing his mate's uncertainty about parenting. Maybe he'd feel different if they had a keeper, but as it was they both were out at the same time a lot. Then he figured they could always work on kits of their own. He glanced over to his mate, who was shaking his head fractionally. Wishing they'd taken longer to discuss this, he answered. "I don't think we feel ready for that at this time."

"That is much as I expected." Urrmi nodded. "You will have many opportunities in the future should you choose to raise kittens."

Modo nodded. "We probably will at some point, Chief." He said politely as the anticipation mounted.

"Teagreen is first generation Sundancer kinfolk. The daughter of Ash Dawn and Lyrin." Urrmi motioned to a leanly muscular, brindle woman with glass black eyes and warrior clothes. "She is a warrior in the High Crest settlement on the far side of the island. Her mate is a keeper, and they are raising four healthy kinfolk kittens, one of which is by contract."

Modo nodded politely, acknowledging the introduction as he looked the black-haired woman over. He figured he'd wait till the introductions were over before saying anything, since he was still trying to figure out how to choose.

The chief then motioned to the light tan she-mouse in the middle with her long, feathered fur immaculately groomed around a finely made leather dress that accentuated her rounded hips and full breasts.

"Golden Mist is first generation Sundancer kinfolk. The daughter of Va'th and Jade Eyes. She is a keeper in the village of Tree'n two islands to the west. She is mated to a fine warrior that provides for two keepers and their nine kittens, including three Garou."

The big gray mouse again nodded politely. Comparing the two, he found himself slightly favoring Teagreen, but he figured it only polite to defer a decision until the third introduction, to a black on black mottled warrior of considerable fire, had been made.

"NightStalker is a Sundancer Garou of the Great Mountain Ridge settlement." Modo felt his mate's shock in the rusty mouse's tail as the chief spoke. "The Feral daughter of Seashine and Othgree, she provides for two keepers and three Garou kittens."

Modo nodded politely the same as before, and then turned to face his mate, his eyebrow raising questioningly.

"Garou make these offers, not respond to them." The rusty mouse explained softly.

"Modo is kin, and fine kin at that." NightStalker said evenly.

Modo smiled at the compliment. "Thank you." He said, as he considered the three females. Each had her good points, but Modo found himself trying to decide between the two warriors. There was something about them that reminded him of the last female he'd found attractive enough to consider, Charley. He also wondered if he was supposed to make his choice now, or if there was more to this.

"You may choose now, or get to know them better over the next few days." The chief explained. "It would be best if this is settled before we leave for the war-council."

Modo thought about it a moment, and then felt an unfamiliar but persistent nudge toward NightStalker. He wondered what the nudge was, and then a strange flash that siring a litter on the Garou female greatly increased the chance of Garou kittens. The nudge was distinctly persistent about that point. He had been considering her anyway so he gave the nudge its way. "I believe I can decide now." He said softly. "I do want to thank all of the ladies for considering me an acceptable sire." He said formally. "I choose NightStalker." He said with a smile for the female Garou, who inclined her head with a smile of her own.

"So it will be recorded." The chief nodded. "I will leave it to the three of you to determine the details." He dismissed them all.

Modo nodded, and left the building with Thildon close behind. He stopped outside to wait for NightStalker. The nudge gave him a distinctly approving warm feeling on his choice.

"Those will be some impressive kits, love." Thildon said, still slightly in awe.

"That is the point." NightStalker smiled at the pair of them. "My keepers will be very pleased as well."

"There haven't been any Garou from my line in three generations, I thought this was the best chance to change that." Modo said with a smile. "And you remind me of a good friend of mine." He added, addressing NightStalker.

"Oh?" She looked at him curiously as they walked to the mate's hut.

"Hard to pin down why, but I guess the best explanation would be fire, for lack of a better word. Charley was a really feisty lady on Earth, who was a good friend and top-notch mechanic." He said fondly. "She did a damn good job of keeping our bikes in top shape, at least as good as we did."

"Ah, a packmate of yours." NightStalker seemed quite pleased by it as she followed the males into their hut and let the door drape slide down behind them.

"Yeah, she was our Sis." Modo agreed easily. "Welcome to our home." He said politely.

"Thank you." She inclined her head and smiled.

"Okay, I guess we got details to work out." He said though it was as much question as statement. "Honestly, I'm kind of in the dark here. Wasn't even a consideration a week ago."

"Do I need to start with male/ female sex?" She asked politely and settled on a pile of furs.

"Nah, I know that one." Modo said sitting down. "I just got the impression there were other details."

"Well, you said you aren't interested in raising any of this litter, so that take a lot of complications out." She smiled playfully. "Timing is something to discus, though as I expect to have delivered and recovered before the invasion beings, it will need to be in the next few days."

"Assuming a funeral doesn't come up, that's not a problem." Modo said agreeably.

"If one does, sixteen of the finest cool headed warriors in the islands have failed miserably." NightStalker told him, utterly serious.

Modo nodded. "I guess. Reunion hasn't been quite what I thought." He sighed. "For all I missed them, I wish Vinnie hadn't shown up here."

"Better here than on Mars." She reminded him gently. "As hard as it is to rehabilitate a hunter, here he's got the chance. He wouldn't last ten second on Mars if half of what I heard is true."

"It is." Modo said quietly. "And he'd be fine, till the invasion hits. Fits right in." He shook his head. "I can't believe I missed that he was that sick."

"It's the ones closest to us that are the hardest to see for what they really are, many times." She said gently. "You and Throttle didn't see what the other was either, I understand."

"I didn't know what I was." Modo chuckled softly. "Great-grandmother's protective camo spell, as I understand it. Probably why Throttle didn't see what I was."

"Still, that is over and you are all in a better place, and he is in a better place to heal." Thildon spoke softly, wrapping his tail around Modo's waist with NightStalker nodding in agreement.

Modo nodded. "Yes, we are." He agreed softly, focusing on that. "Sorry if I'm a bit distracted, NightStalker. It's been a wild few days."

"So I've gathered." She smiled understandingly. "And it is likely to get wilder before things settle down to any extent."

"So I hear." Modo smiled, and then focused back on the task at hand. "So timing is the only issue to work out, and you need it to be in the next few days?" He summarized.

"That's the short of it." NightStalker nodded.

"Well, today, tomorrow or day after are all equally acceptable to me." He said easily.

"All three." She smiled gently, though there was a chuckle to it. "I'll make up the lost hunt."

Modo chuckled gently. "Just making sure, right?" He said softly.

"I want a good litter out of this, Modo." NightStalker smiled and leaned back. "It's possible for me to carry four without concern. I intend to try for it."

"I will stay with my sister then." Thildon said evenly as he stood. "I will see you when you are done, love." He smiled gently at the big mouse.

Modo nodded. "Till then, love." He said softly, with a fond smile for the younger mouse.


	11. A Mate's Concern

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Modo tags along on a supply run for Throttle, and learns a lot of things he'd rather not have known.

"Can you tell me what is bothering you, love?" Thildon asked softly in the early morning the day after NightStalker had gone home.

Modo sighed quietly. "It's my bro's." He murmured. "This is worse than not knowing where they were."

"But they're getting along." Thildon murmured. "They're mates now."

"We're not a team anymore." He said tiredly.

"Oh, love." He pulled the bigger mouse close. "Pack reunions can be brutal until things are sorted out again. Just because Throttle and Vinnie are working through their issues doesn't mean you aren't part of the pack."

"Really, Vinnie looked at me like a total stranger." He said very softly. "And seeing his hatred I'm not even sure I know him. He reminds of those I got into fights with growing up."

"Love, your alpha still calls you his Bro. He remembered you, values you." He hugged Modo close. "But you are safe and whole, and Vinnie is badly injured. Vinnie is sick, Modo-ra, little more. We are strong enough not to dive the sick away, even if the injury take a long time to heal. Please don't give up on Throttle. He still loves you."

"I guess." Modo said quietly. "Guess I'm just feeling like a third wheel on a motorcycle. It's almost easier to think they never showed up, it hurts less that way." His scent was largely dominated by alienation and a deepening depression.

"Would it help to talk to Throttle?" He asked quietly.

"He's got enough to do with Vinnie. If Vinnie sees me that'll just screw everything back to square one." He said quietly. "If he wants Vinnie, I'm not gonna screw things up for him."

"Love, Vinnie won't see or hear you." Thildon said softly. "You can talk to Throttle when he picks up fresh supplies. He always comes alone, to pass on news and pick up what they need."

"Maybe I should." He said quietly. "I know I should be happy they're mates, but I keep thinking that we're two groups not one now. There's them and then there's me. It hurts to think they went on without me, and didn't even say goodbye."

"I thought you were separated unexpectedly." Thildon asked.

"I mean now." He said quietly. "Reunion lasted about 30 seconds."

"Oh, love." He wrapped his body around his mate as best he could. "Please don't give up on it so quickly. Remember how Throttle came to us? How he wanted to be next to you and have you close to him as he recovered? He has not abandoned you."

"I want to believe that." He said quietly. "It's just so very difficult. Everything's inside out from anyway I thought it would be."

"Come with me tonight, when he picks up supplies." Thildon said. "You need to see him. He misses you, even though Vinnie's needs hold him away."

"As long as I won't mess things up for him." Modo said quietly. "He's done so much for us. If he wants Vinnie I don't want to make it more difficult for him." He said sincerely.

"Love, he is Death Angel's son." Thildon pointed out gently. "And he put Vinnie under a Lumari. If they can deal with that, they can deal with me eventually. Your bonds aren't so shattered they can't stand a little more stress. Vinnie is _injured_ love, sick. Give him a little leeway until he heals."

"Assuming he does." Modo said quietly, as the visions raced before his eyes again making him shudder involuntarily.

"Love?" Thildon nuzzled him gently.

"Just the visions again." He said quietly, snuggling closer to his mate.

"Want to talk about them?" He kissed Modo gently. "Maybe we can avoid the worst."

"Maybe." He said softly. "They're kind of brief though, just enough to unnerve me. The first one is in a forest, I can see the brush rustling as someone comes through it. The someone is Vinnie and there's blood on his hands and this really satisfied look on his face. Then there's a blur of motion and a black and gray swirled Lumari is on top of him, and then there's screaming and blood everywhere." He shuddered as he closed his eyes.

"His sickness claimed a life, and then his own, most likely." Thildon murmured. "I wish these were controllable to some extent."

"The second is pretty much like the first, only its Throttle in Lumari form." He said quietly. "The last is the most unnerving. I walk into this grassy clearing to find Vinnie hunched over Throttle's lifeless body with a big silver knife in his hand. He turns to face me and I see this twisted bloodlust in his eyes, he's actually proud of what he's done. I feel this firelike rage consume me from the inside and my body transforms into Lumari, and in a fierce battle I take the knife from Vinnie and gut him with it. The last thing I see is myself standing over Throttle, tears falling until they blur the scene."

"Oh, love." He held his mate close. "We need to speak with the Seer about this, and Throttle. It's not right that you are tormented like this."

Modo nodded quietly. "I mean if they're mates now, those dreams are just false alarms, right?" He said uncertainly.

"They sound like your fears, given life." Thildon murmured gently. "Vinnie would never manage to kill Throttle."

"Could be, I suppose. Maybe he could, if he was sneaky and got the drop on him, or got the first shot while Throttle was asleep."

"Do not underestimate the pack that protects them, or Death Angel herself." Thildon said softly. "It would be very difficult to pull that off with a ghost like her watching."

"I guess it would." He said quietly. "It was just very disturbing to watch. And there was something wrong about that knife, I can't pin down what, but there was _something_." He said very softly.

"Wrong, like it wasn't a functional design, or wrong like it was a Fetish knife?"

"The latter, I think." Modo said uncertainly. "Can a knife be hungry?"

"Yes," Thildon nodded with a shiver. "We know of several. That would make it a very powerful Fetish though, if not an Artifact. And that is a _bad_ thing."

"Could something that powerful be enough to let Vinnie kill Throttle?" He asked almost too softly to be heard.

"Yes," he swallowed with difficulty. "It could."

"I don't really understand Fetishes well, would Vinnie be able to wield something like that?" He asked, a sick worry in his stomach.

"It depends on what it was, and just what he is." Thildon sighed. "And that's beyond my knowledge, really. The Seers and spell-weavers would know better than I."

"Guess we need to talk to the Seer, huh?" He said quietly.

"Yeah, we do." He murmured gently, nuzzling the gray mouse.

"It's a bit early now, we can do it later." Modo murmured softly, nuzzling his mate affectionately.

"Yes, and work off some of that worry the pleasurable way." He rumbled, his hands shifting from holding to caressing.

* * *

"Modo," Throttle was clearly surprised to see his gray Bro on his supply run, and just as clearly pleased from the grin that rapidly spread across his face. "How are things going, Bro?"

"Not so great, Bro." Modo said with quiet honesty, though the grin on his Bro's face made him feel better, if a little foolish.

"What's wrong?" Throttle instantly focused on his friend.

"Guess I'm just not handlin' things not goin' the way I expected very well." He muttered softly, an air of feeling like an idiot surrounding him. "I dreamed about us gettin' back together a lot over the years. This hasn't been close." He sighed.

"Bro, it's hit all three of us hard." He gripped Modo's shoulder. "You're not being foolish for being worried. We both have good cause, with how Vinnie's been acting."

"I thought you two had gone, 'cause you didn't want me around anymore." He said softly, leaning into the contact as the pain that had been simmering began to surface. "Especially after Vinnie's rejection."

"Ah, Bro." Throttle voice was soft. "He ran because of me; he can't deal with what I am. It's not easy to deal with those problems when skinning the hard-headed fool isn't an option."

"I know." Modo said quietly. "The time-tested approach just isn't an option." He shook his head quietly. "We still a team?" He asked very softly, with equal parts of doubt and hope in his voice.

"Never doubt that, Modo." Throttle looked up so their eyes met through his shades. "You are my Bro, my packmate, my brother." He said with soft intensity. "I'm not leaving you, even if I have to spend some time working on our thick-headed Bro alone."

Modo nodded quietly. "Guess these dreams are just shaking me more than I want to admit. I should know better."

"Dreams?" Throttle raised a curious eyebrow.

"Modo-ra has an uncontrollable Seer gift." Thildon said softly from the shadows nearby. "Sight Beyond The Stars says his cybernetic eye is warping the gift to show the worst, not most likely, possibilities."

"Anything that can be done?" Throttle's gaze fixed on the younger mouse.

Thildon nodded. "Starcrossed is working on it. It should be ready in a couple weeks, but we'll have to go to Green Glass Tower to have it put in."

Modo looked a bit surprise. "Oh, I didn't know she'd actually got that far." He smiled. "Oh, I don't know if you'd heard, but it turns out I'm Kinfolk." The gray mouse said looking at his Bro, with a certain pride in his voice that was hard to miss.

Even with the shades the startled look on Throttle's face was obvious, and became more so as it faded to delight. "That is _great_ news, Bro." He grinned broadly. "Have you two talked kits yet?"

"Only sort of, but I think we'll have some eventually." He grinned. "Though I did get one of the required sirings taken care of this week. Strange as the idea is to me." He paused, before speaking. "I guess there's a decent chance that Rimfire's Garou, 'cause of how long it's been since my family line produced one."

"He must be close, if he isn't showing already." Throttle drew a sharp breath.

"Scouts already on it, Throttle." Thildon said quickly. "They'll find him and bring him home."

"Yeah, I talked to the Chief, as soon as it hit me what my being Kinfolk meant for him." Modo said quietly. "Scares me to think about him running into some of the damn skullbusters who are left."

"Thankfully most were dealt with." Throttle said softly. "And the kids' loner tendency is going to help him in this case. He might even be under someone's wing already."

"Yeah, dealt with a few of 'em myself." Modo said darkly. "And I hope so, but still I'll feel better when the scouts bring him back here."

"Me too, Bro. I like the kid." Throttle smiled softly. "Though I guess I'll have to stop calling him that soon."

"He's still only nineteen." Modo chuckled, and then looked at his mate with a smirk. "Okay, maybe we should stop calling him a kid."

"Particularly after his First Change." Thildon smirked back.

"Yeah, he'll be a bit big then." Modo chuckled, trying to picture Rimfire in Lumari.

"And a serious, _serious_ hunk." Throttle chuckled.

"I'm sure he'll be glad to hear that." Modo chuckled, and then pulled Thildon into a bear hug. "But I've got my serious hunk right here." He said affectionately.

"I'm sure he'll have to fight off the suitors." Throttle chuckled. "New blood and very cute."

"I bet he's gotten cuter since we left, he's had years to develop." Modo chuckled. "'Course, I think he's got a crush on you, or at least he did."

"He did?" Throttle couldn't hide his surprise.

"Uh huh." Modo smiled. "Asked me about it once cause he was worried that he was lusting after his uncle. I explained that it was okay, 'cause it wasn't a blood relation, and besides there wasn't any danger of kits."

"Just as well he didn't ask more directly." Throttle shook his head. "Last time I saw him he was younger than I would have considered."

"I kind of pointed that fact out gently to him." Modo nodded. "He didn't get what the problem was, but figured he could wait."

"He'll probably get it in another fifteen or so years." Throttle chuckled. "If he hasn't settled down by then."

"I don't know if fifteen years is long enough to settle him down." Modo smiled fondly. "Kind of reminds me of Vin that way." He added, with a slightly pained look crossing his face briefly.

"Not as hard-headed about hate, though." Throttle sighed. "Not my idea of the best way to spend a honeymoon."

"No, his Mama didn't hold with hate any more than mine did." Modo said softly. "I'm just glad he isn't here yet, I really don't want him to see this side of Vinnie."

"I doubt he'll have a choice, Bro." Throttle sighed. "Unless we keep Vinnie separate. He's not going to break easily."

"I guess it's something to be grateful for that my distant ancestor's spell keeps the visible signs suppressed." He said quietly. "I don't think Rimfire would handle it well if Vinnie's hate got directed at him."

"Bro, he likes guys. That's quite enough." Throttle sighed. "That mouse's head is _whacked_."

"Guess it's just a good thing I didn't know that when I met him." Modo said very softly.

"Yeah, that would have been ugly." Throttle shook his head. "Thing is, I've been making some pretty serious passes at him for years and he never noticed. Though he didn't notice Charley pining for him either."

"Ugly wouldn't have been the word." Modo said quietly. "And the Biker Mice sure as hell wouldn't have happened, no way I would've teamed with a skullbuster."

"Yeah, I know." Throttle sighed deeply. "Things would have been _so_ much saner if mom had just let me kill him when I spotted him."

"She wouldn't let you kill him?" Modo asked, genuinely surprised. "I would've thought she would've expected you to."

"I gave up trying to understand her orders before she died." He muttered. "Damn mouse is still proud he killed her."

"And you can still love him?" Modo asked confused.

"Yeah, though I'm really beginning to doubt it's my idea." Throttle scowled.

"Your mama still trying to keep you from killing him?" Modo guessed quietly.

"I doubt anything so simple." He sighed. "I knew he killed her when I first saw him."

"And you didn't kill him then?" Modo asked, seriously shocked. "I figured you just didn't know till he bragged about it."

"I watched it happen, the whole pack did." Throttle shuddered at the memory. "I hunted every one of those bastards down and repaid the pain with interest. He's the last one, and she ordered me to protect his damn hide." He was trembling in rage by the time the words were out and Modo felt the fear and ready-to-bolt tension in his mate as Thildon wrapped his tail around his waist.

"Damn, Throttle. And you've been doing that all along." Modo whispered, as he put a supportive hand on the tan mouse's shoulder, feeling some of the explosive rage dissipate, though it still ran deep and hot. "I don't know how you do it. I couldn't." He said softly.

"Nothing else was an option." He answered simply.

"I guess." He shook his head quietly, and sighed. "Just kind of disturbing thinking I defended him to my gang, and they were right about him." He said quietly.

"He never hunted again." Throttle said simply. "But yeah, they were right, and then some."

"They couldn't get why I didn't see it, and why I didn't kill him like we always did with lone skullbuster." He said softly. "Guess I didn't want to believe it."

"Didn't, couldn't, wouldn't ... I wouldn't put it past Death Angel to work on you too. That mouse means something to her. Just won't say what or why." He growled.

"Gods, that makes no sense." Modo shook his head. "Sweet Mars, she's protecting her own murderer." He said in a completely befuddled tone.

"I figured out two, at least." Throttle shook his head. "Forcing him to see Mars with only Garou left, lush and green again because of the blackeyes and loving one of them. And as a object lesson that even a skullbuster could be redeemed."

"The first I can believe." Modo said quietly. "The second I'll believe if it happens. I've seen what happens when it doesn't far too clearly."

"Remember how she died?" He asked with a tight throat. "She was big on peace."

"Peace is something I've never seen a skullbuster understand." Modo said quietly. "They were always the impediment to peace."

"Can't say I'd mind if somebody could convince her of that." Throttle said softly. "I'm tired of being manipulated so much."

"I imagine, Bro." Modo said sympathetically stepping closer, so he could put his arm around the tan mouse. "But as unsure as I am about what I think and feel about things, I'm sure as hell not picking an argument with Her."

"Can't blame you, Bro. She not one to pick an argument with." Throttle said, leaning into the contact. "At least if it's the first it'll be over with soon."

"Yeah, but if it's the first she won't have much use for him after its over." Modo said gently. "I can't imagine she actually likes him."

"No, she doesn't." Throttle said grimly. "It's not going to be pleasant any way it goes down."

"Bro, I don't know what I think or feel about Vinnie right now." Modo admitted softly. "But I'm here for you, no matter what."

"Thanks, Bro." He murmured. "I need all the support I can get right now."

"Just don't be surprised if I start showing up on more of these delivery runs." He said softly. "Right now these separations are just rough." He smiled trying to make a joke of it.

"I know, Bro." The tawny mouse nodded. "Rough on both of us."

"It's a good thing that Thildon's keeping an eye on me." He smiled fondly. "Someone has to keep some perspective."

"Somehow, I think everyone _but_ the three of us have it in perspective." Throttle chuckled slightly. "I'm glad you found a good lifemate, Bro."

"Thanks, Bro." Modo smiled. "Yeah, he's the best. And I hope things work out for you with Vinnie, if that's what you want." He said quietly. "I just imagine he's in denial about a lot of things right now."

"Oh, yeah." Throttle shook his head. "Big time. If there is a problem to have with this situation, he has it."

"Hardly surprising. Could've knocked me over with a feather when I heard you two were mates." Modo said a little disbelieving. "I didn't even think he liked guys that way."

"He doesn't. He actively hates same-sex mates." Throttle shook his head. "But he's hooked on me at least as bad as I am on him. Feels more like an addiction than love, honestly. Except when I'm holding him, when he's asleep and the world is all quiet except for his breathing. It feels right then."

Modo sighed and hugged his Bro tight. "Well, I hope things work out for you. You deserve to be happy, Bro." He said sincerely.

"We all do, Modo." Throttle said stubbornly. "We all deserve it after this life."

"I'll be happy once you are, Bro." Modo said quietly. "Aside from missing you guys, I was pretty happy before you arrived. It's a good life here." He murred, looping his tail around Thildon's waist affectionately.

"Yeah, it is." Throttle nodded, his own tail wrapping around Modo's waist. "I keep thinking of moving to Earth when I don't need to be around anymore. Get back with Charley and settle down, just have a nice quiet life for a while."

"That'll make it tough for us to be together." Modo said quietly. "Unless Thildon feels like moving to Earth. There's someone there I wouldn't mind looking up again." He murmured.

"I don't mind, if it's in the Bridge network." The rusty mouse said, though the undercurrent in his voice and body language belied that.

"It's not that dangerous any more." Throttle said softly. "They've forgotten."

"Who's forgotten what?" Modo asked curiously.

"Earth's Garou." Throttle explained. "It's why we never evacuated to there. Earth was considered more dangerous than the Plutarkians, because of the war."

"You had a war going with the Garou on Earth?" He asked curiously.

"Yeah, bloody, nasty vicious thing." Throttle nodded. "Skullbusters vs. Garou are nothing compared to two worlds of Garou trying to exterminate each other."

"But you think they've forgotten about it?"

"Well, the ones I encountered didn't seem to react." Throttle shrugged. "And that's not a response they'd have normally."

"Well, that's a good thing." Modo smiled. "Don't need a rehash of an old war."

"No kidding. Especially not now." Throttle murmured. "There's enough blood on the books already."

"And more to come." Modo said quietly. "Retaking Mars is going to be messy."

"I was already counting that." He nodded fractionally. "But this time we have numbers and power on our side, and Mars isn't a target worth them keeping anymore, except for pride."

"I'll just be glad when the mouse killing mouse is over." Modo said very softly. "Seen too much of that as it is."

Throttle nodded. "There won't be any mice left when Mars is reclaimed." He said softly. Just Vinnie, and he can't breed."

"None? I thought scouts were going to locate the reasonable ones." He said very quietly.

"Kinfolk aren't mice, Bro." Throttle said softly. "We can't interbreed, even if we look like them, we aren't mice."

"Oh, I didn't know that." He said quietly. "Guess my family gave me a weird view of things, since none of us have any of the signs. I figured we were just mice with one Garou mixed in about three generations back."

Throttle shook his head. "Unless a Celestian or similar decided to mess with things, we just look like them. We aren't exactly related."

"That's kind of weird. But it explains why everyone in my village tended to takes mates from within it."

"Even if they didn't remember why anymore." Throttle nodded.

"No, they didn't." Modo nodded. "But they also didn't take well to skullbusters as a few who wandered through discovered the hard way."

"I bet." Throttle chuckled. "Instincts and pack protection run deep in our kind."

"Yeah, that's where the Sharks came from." Modo grinned predatorily.

"And both of us." He nodded. "I ran across a few in my hunting years. I think I picked one for a Bro too."

Modo grinned broadly. "Yeah, that you did. File that as something else it would freak Vinnie out to learn about me. I took down more than a few skullbusters myself." He said proudly.

"Bro, change one word, and that is exactly what and how Vinnie says it." Throttle said quietly. "Murder isn't something to be proud of, no matter how justified or necessary."

Modo nodded. "I guess not. It just seemed right at the time. They were killing innocents, and needed to be stopped." He said quietly, and a bit subdued.

"Bro, it _did_ need to be done, and it _was_ right." Throttle said sternly. "Murder needs to be punished and serial killers stopped any way necessary. It's just not something to be proud of years later."

"You know I hadn't even thought about it since we left Mars." Modo said quietly. "Guess that's what seeing you and Vinnie dead in the same vision will do to me."

Throttle nodded and let out a deep breath. "I understand Bro. He's drawn out the pride I once had in my killings too. It's just important not to hold on to it."

"I'll try." Modo murmured. "Just easier to be angry at him right now."

"Believe me, I know." The tawny mouse sighed deeply. "He is massively infuriating when we don't have Plutarkians to keep us distracted."

"Massively infuriating was easy to take." Modo muttered.

"Bro," Throttle said softly, "I won't stop you, whatever you choose."

Modo shook his head. "I don't know what I think, that's the problem." He sighed deeply. "One part of me sees a mouse I used to call my Bro and figures it must have meant something. Another part is feeling really stupid about missing a skullbuster that close. And a third part figures there must be something worth saving if you want him so bad. It's very confusing."

"I'm in no better shape." Throttle murmured. "That I know I'm being manipulated doesn't help any."

"Guess we just gotta muddle through." Modo shook his head. "We've handled everything else, I guess we should be able to handle Vinnie turning out to be more stupid than previously thought." He said, not terribly convinced but trying.

"It is _so_ temping to just mind-wipe him and raise him up right." Throttle rumbled in frustration. "But that got nixed too."

"That sounds like the best idea so far." Modo agreed. "Does your mother usually make things this difficult for you?" He asked both curious and frustrated at the same time.

"Only where he's involved, and any ideas about giving up and dieing." He humphed.

"Well, I kind of agree on the dieing part. Don't go doing that." Modo said somewhat urgently. "Does complicate things when she won't allow the good solutions."

"Yeah, well, she's got something in mind for him. I just don't know what." Throttle muttered. "It is good to see a sane friend, Bro. I'm glad you came."

"So am I. I'll try to come on at least some of the supply runs, if you'd like." Modo offered.

"I'd really appreciate it." Throttle squeezed his tail gently around Modo's waist. "It's too easy to get sucked into his insanity without the reality check."

"Anything you need, Bro, you just ask." Modo said firmly. "You need me here, then I'm here."

"We need each other." Throttle said softly. "More than ever before, we need each other, Bro."

"No arguing that." Modo said quietly, as he put arms around the tan mouse and hugged him while Throttle soaked up the support willingly.

* * *

"Okay, Thildon-ra." Modo said gently. "What's bothering you? You've been upset since I talked with Throttle."

"All this manipulation ... it worries me." The young Garou said quietly, leaning close to his mate. "That she'd use her own son like that."

Modo sighed. "I'm not happy about it either, love." The big gray mouse admitted. "Just not the way a mother's supposed to behave." He said very softly.

"It's not the way a _Garou_ is supposed to behave." Thildon shuddered. "It's just not right."

"As unsure as I am about how I feel about Vin, I don't like the thought that he's being set up for something nasty. I especially don't like what it'll do to Throttle, he loves that white mouse." He said softly.

"Depends on how much she's twisting his feelings." He murmured. "That mixed reaction just isn't right."

"The whole situation just isn't right, but there isn't anything we can do about Her." Modo shook his head. "Can spirits go insane?" He wondered aloud.

"Yes, though if they get too twisted, they loose their ability to interact with us, and the physical world." Thildon explained. "She can't be too disconnected with reality to interact and control it as much as she has."

"Yeah, but if what if she got just twisted enough that accomplishing whatever goals she had was more important than anything else, including her son." He said softly.

"I don't know, but every step she is away from sane and stable limits her." Thildon considered. "But it might explain why she has such power with Throttle and Vinnie, but hasn't done much else. I don't know."

"Is there someone we should talk to, who might know?" He asked quietly, worried about Throttle.

"It's another Seer and spell-weaver talk." The rusty mouse chuckled. "We're going to have some interesting rumors running around at this rate."

"Oh, what sort?" Modo asked with a grin.

"Like Sight Beyond The Stars has chosen another student." Thildon chuckled.

Modo shook his head. "Yeah, with all the control of a drunken driver on Saturday night." He chuckled. "I'm really glad I don't have any control, 'cause I don't want to be a Seer. It's just not me."

"I still wish it didn't torture you so much." He said softly, moving close to his mate in the dense undergrowth.

"It'll probably calm down as I get more secure with what's going on. I was just terrified that I was losing Throttle." He admitted reluctantly.

"And when you get your new eyes." He smiled softly.

"That too." Modo said quietly. "Still hard to believe I'm getting new eyes. Throttle could use new ones too, the ones Karbunkle gave him don't work quite right, and they hurt him." He said remembering things that his Bro never mentioned any more, but he was sure hadn't changed.

"They're ready when he is." Thildon said softly. "But he has to be ready to take the down-time to have them replaced and get used to the new ones."

"I don't see that happening before Mars is retaken." Modo said softly. "And he certainly won't with the way things are with Vin. Gods, I wish his mother wasn't complicating things."

"I wish we knew _why_." He shivered. "That's just unnerving."

"No kidding." Modo said quietly. "On the surface, it just makes no sense."

"And the ways to make it make sense aren't going to be easy to swallow." Thildon shook his head. "It's not been a good week on the personal front."

"That's for sure." Modo said quietly. "I just don't get why she's trying to get Throttle hurt, and almost anyway this works out he's going to." He sighed and shook his head. "The dead have no business hanging around and bothering the living."

"At least most of them are happy to be Remembered on, and most of the rest happy to take up residence in a kit sired that night or so."

"But my Bro had to get one who did like either option, and now likes to co-pilot his life." He shook his head.

"Yeah, and a mate who doesn't like guys or Garou." Thildon shook his head. "That's just too weird."

Modo turned and swept his mate into a close hug with his tail around his mate's waist. "I am so lucky to you as my mate, Thildon-ra." He rumbled happily in the younger mouse's ear as the embrace as returned tightly.

"So am I, Modo-ra." He rumbled and nuzzled his mate.

"I know I've been moody lately, and I'm grateful that you've been so understanding." He said, giving his mate a tender, loving kiss.

"I'm here for you, love." Thildon murmured after returning it. "Just like you've been there for me."

"I know, I just wanted you to know I appreciated it." He said quietly. "Especially since I don't think things are going to get any easier for a while. Sounds like Throttle's going to need me on those supply runs for awhile." He said simply. "To restock his supply of reality."

"Better to do it than not, love." Thildon murmured. "Kin stick together. I just hope you can join them for a little while soon."

"Of course, I'll do it." He said firmly. "He's my Bro. As for joining them, that's up to Vinnie." He said quietly.

"I know," he nuzzled the gray mouse. "We'll pull through this together."

"Yes, we will." Modo said kissing his mate softly.

"Now, lets get some sleep before another female claims you for several days." Thildon grinned cheekily.

"Sleep sounds good, and unless there's some rule that says I have to do it right away, I don't feel like doing that again right away." He said quietly.

"No, no rule." He smiled gently. "There will just be a push before everyone heads to Mars."

"That probably means they'll be lining up more candidates for me." Modo shook his head in amusement. "I understand the reasoning, but it just feels weird. Not a big turn-on either." He said quietly.

"I know love. I had to do it too, and I really don't like females."

"That must have been rough." Modo said sympathetically. "I had trouble getting up for it, and I like females somewhat."

"Aphrodisiac hallucinogens and a skilled mate can make you think you aren't with who you're with." He said softly. "Only way I could pull it off."

"Drugs." Modo shook his head, a bit disturbed by the thought that they go to such lengths to make someone mate who didn't even like females.

"Yeah, I'm that stubborn." Thildon nuzzled him.

"Maybe they should've just accepted that you don't like females." Modo said quietly, still a bit shaken. Flashbacks from some of things mice had been forced to do using drugs in the camps hitting him.

" _They_ did, love." The younger mouse snorted. "I wasn't going to let that stop me from siring."

"Oh, sorry. I though they made you." Modo said a bit sheepishly. "I didn't figure siring would be that interesting to you if you didn't like females."

"It's the most important thing we can do, outside of raise kits." He said simply. "The next generation is everything."

"Guess that's something I'm still getting used to." Modo said quietly. "On Mars we'd kind of accepted that we were the last generation."

"Why go on, then?" He asked in both confusion and concern. "Everything you went through, for nothing?"

"To make sure the fishfaces knew they'd been in a fight. To not let them have Mars without it costing them something." He said softly. "Deep down, when we were honest with ourselves, we knew we couldn't beat them. The planet's dead, and there aren't enough mice to rebuild." He said sadly. "One last blaze of glory was all we really hoped for."

"How depressing." Thildon shuddered.

Modo nodded. "I can see that now." He said quietly. "But back before, we didn't really have any options; just fight or surrender."

"Which really only leaves fight." He nodded.

"Yeah, so we did." Modo said softly. "It's nice to think that we'll be able to have a somewhat normal life in the future, that the war really has an end we'll see." He smiled quietly. "Maybe even think about kits."

"Yes, and Mars green and wet again." Thildon smiled supportively. "We'll get there."

"It's still hard to believe." The gray mouse said quietly. "After looking across red dust as far as the eye can see, its hard to believe it can be brought back."

"It is, with the worldsoul." Thildon nodded, sure of himself. "And that we brought with us."

Modo shook his head. "Guess maybe I've been at this war a bit too long, but I'm hard-pressed to believe a planet has a soul, much less that its something you take with you, like so much luggage." He said quietly, not really arguing just having difficulty believing.

"It's okay, love," Thildon patted his arm reassuringly. "You'll see."

"I'm sure I will." Modo smiled.


	12. A Step Forward

Vinnie woke to his mate's affectionate touch, something that was starting to feel normal.

"Morning, love." Throttle nuzzled him.

"Morning already?" the white mouse asked fuzzily.

"Well into it." He chuckled softly, running his hand along the hard white flank.

"That's just wrong," Vinnie grumbled playfully. "Remember that planet with the rings? The nights there were nice and long."

"And you were still fuzzy in the mornings." Throttle snickered and kissed his neck.

"I don't think I ever woke up to anything quite so pleasant though."

"You will for a long time to come, Bro." Throttle rumbled and nuzzled his mate. "I'm not planning on giving this up anytime soon."

Vinnie just chuckled softly and kissed Throttle again, one hand stroking firmly up and down a tan thigh as they were spread for him.

"Come take me, Bro." Throttle rumbled hotly into a hungry kiss. "Fill me with your seed."

"God's but you're hot when you say that," Vinnie replied lustily, a growing warmth between his legs testifying to his willingness that his mate eagerly stroked to fullness.

"You are so hot when you do it," he rumbled. "Your eyes closed and face washed with pleasure as you take me." Throttle claimed a passionate kiss. "And the way you arch and cry out when you cum."

"You're the hottest ride I ever had bro," Vinnie whispered hotly as he sank into the other mouse. "And the only one I ever wanted to keep."

"Oh, _yeah_." Throttle willingly let the world wash away but the pleasure between him and his mate as the white mouse fucked him deep and hard. Vinnie's morning fuzziness vanished as he drove himself deep into Throttle's body. The white mouse was a vocal lover, his moans and his language becoming more and more explicit as he got closer to his moment. Even after he'd drenched Throttle's insides once he didn't stop, continuing to pound his hips against the mouse beneath him to equally vocal encouragement until they were both exhausted past doing more than pant in each other's arms.

"My big bad biker mouse," Vinnie panted softly, his chest heaving up and down with the force of his breath as he lay next to his mate.

"Your very sated biker mouse." Throttle chuckled through his own deep breaths.

"Well of course," Vinnie smirked. He was never too worn out to boast.

"Smartass." Throttle smirked and brought his tail up to stroke one thick red antennae.

That brought a soft moan from his white-furred lover, Vinnie's fingers trembling against Throttle's chest as he teased the exquisitely sensitive appendage.

"Think you can take more, Bro?" Throttle's voice was lusty. "Take what my mouth on one can do to you?"

"Yes," Vinnie gasped softly. "Oh gods don't stop."

"Throttle just smiled and shifted to take the sensitive length into his mouth, sucking and swirling his tongue around it as his tail worked the other one.

The response was immediate, a tremor running through Vinnie's body accompanied by a soft, low moan. The scent of his arousal began to thicken in the air again almost immediately, and his cock swelled from it's resting state to lie thick and warm against Throttle's leg.

It was enough to encourage Throttle to slip one hand down to circle a slicked finger gently around the bare, puckered entry to his mate's body as he treated Vinnie's antennae to every bit of blowjob skill he had.

The white mouse leaned heavily against him, panting and whimpering softly as pleasure washed through him. His tails wrapped around Throttle's wrist as his finger teased the white mouse's asshole, though it seemed to be more for the contact than out of any attempt to keep him away.

With only the briefest of breaks Throttle switched his attention to the other antennae and pressed slick his finger gently forward. It was impossible to tell if the ragged moan was from the penetration or in response to the wet warmth suddenly enveloping his other antenna. With his finger inside his mate Vinnie's pleasure was made even more clear to Throttle. Each and every gasp and tremor resulted in a complex series of twitches and pulses in the passage that surround it, giving the tan mouse a remarkably intimate insight into Vinnie's ecstasy.

It was a look on a lover's pleasure Throttle found remarkably compelling, and he left it a single finger that slowly moved back and forth in counterpoint with the movement of his head suckling and licking Vinnie's antennae.

The white mouse didn't disappoint, his body arching and panting in pleasure, suspended just below the point of explosion. Eventually it was just too much for him, a low needy tone coming into his voice. "Oh gods Throttle, finish me off. Do it."

Without hesitating Throttle pressed his finger inward to brush against the point in his lover's body that should set him on fire, then pressed against it strongly for a moment as he continued to suckle and finger fuck the desperate mouse, finding the spot each time he delved into Vinnie's body.

That was all it took, a deep ragged moan tearing out of him as Throttle pressed against that spot deep inside him. His seed sprayed out across his lover's leg in long spurts, encouraged by the continued pleasure from mouth and finger that didn't let up even as the intensity of the moment passed.

As Vinnie gasped and moaned under the sensation onslaught, Throttle gently added a second slick finger into the gentle fucking stretching he was giving his mate. The white mouse couldn't do much more than lie there next to him. His breath rushed out through his lips in deep desperate gasps, his fingers gripping Throttle tight as pleasure roped through him with no letting up.

When the tawny mouse added a third finger, he was careful to gently brush up against his mate's spot ever few motions, his tongue and mouth never letting up as he brought his tail between them to curl around Vinnie's cock and stroke it in a firm, warm coil.

Vinnie's body was warm and limp against Throttle's, all the strength and resistance gone out of him as he just lay there and let Throttle work his magic. As good as it felt, Throttle gradually eased himself and Vinnie around so he was over his mate and withdrew his fingers. As he gently pressed his cock inside his mate, his mouth continued to work on one antennae, his fingertips stroking the other and his tail milking the hard cock under them. The line Vinnie's tail made across his abs and chest to where it was still wrapped around his wrist gave Throttle even more of a thrill as he began to thrust slow and deep, taking care to find the right spot every couple strokes.

This time the white mouse was much more responsive than the last, gasping and moaning as Throttle took him. The pulsing and twitching of his body was even more compelling around Throttle's cock than it had been around his finger, his cock both more sensitive and deeper inside Vinnie than the finger had been.

It wasn't long before Throttle was moaning as deeply as his mate, the vibration of his pleasure wrapping around Vinnie's antennae through the skilled mouth still tending it.

"Oh, gods." Throttle moaned deeply as his cock twitched inside his mate and his mouth finally let get go of its prize. "Oh, gods, Bro." He gasped and buried his face against the white neck under him as he thrust deep and hard a last few times, crashing into Vinnie's spot each time before the sensitive location was washed by streams of hot seed.

Vinnie cried out as his bro's seed spurted into his body; his back arching and his face tilting up towards the sky with his eyes squeezed shut while the tawny mouse on top of him grunted and whimpered until his body stilled, panting. After a still moment, Throttle gently rolled to his left and pulled Vinnie to his side so they remained spooked and connected together.

Vinnie's ass continued to twitch and pulse around his lover's shaft even once they were resting quietly against one another. His breath came in rapid gasps, almost uncontrollable as his chest heaved. He felt a gentle tingle and calmness wash across his body and his breath slowed to a normal rate as Throttle held him gently.

"Damn bro," he murmured softly as he came back under control.

"Like it?" Throttle asked quietly against sweat slicked white fur.

"I've never felt like that," Vinnie replied, his voice testifying the intensity of what he'd just been through. "I feel really wet."

"You are, love." Throttle nuzzled his neck and stroked Vinnie's chest and abs with one hand. "Inside and out, from both our sweat and cum. It was incredible." He added softly.

"Your cock's still in me isn't it? That's what I can feel."

"Yes," Throttle nodded and shifted slightly, sliding the hard length out and back in a bit. "Your pleasure feels incredible like this."

"It felt pretty incredible from here too," Vinnie chuckled weakly.

"Good." Throttle kissed the white neck as his fingers trailed down Vinnie's throat gently. "It's what I want you to feel when we are together."

"Not all the time though," Vinnie chuckled weakly. "It'd be good if I could breathe every once in a while."

"Of course." Throttle murmured with a throaty chuckle as he began to soften inside his mate. "And when you can handle it, it can be more intense."

"Fuck me," Vinnie said softly, unaware of the double meaning. "Who knew you were so horny?"

"Everyone who's shared my bed." Throttle chuckled. "But I think a break for a little while might be in order."

"It never showed though," Vinnie continued. "Not like your were a notorious tail-chaser."

"Because most came to me." Throttle nuzzled him. "Even you did, in your own way."

"Not for that!" Vinnie laughed.

"No, but you still came to me when I lusted for you." Throttle rumbled as his fingers slid down the long white throat.

Vinnie shrugged. "I guess so, if you want to look at it that way. Took you a while to get into my pants though."

"And it was worth the effort." He rumbled. "Well worth it."

"Of course it was," the mouse boasted, predictably. "I'm a Van Wham."

That closed Throttle's fingers around his throat, pushing the mouse's head up. "That is not something to brag about, Bro." He growled softly.

"Neither's being a blackeye," Vinnie managed to gasp out stubbornly. "You want me to deal with you, you have to deal with me too."

" _I_ don't brag about my lineage." Throttle rumbled as he let go, growing hard inside his mate.

"You don't have to," Vinnie gasped as Throttle let his go, lifting his own hand to rub at his neck. "It's in everything they do back there. In the village."

"I didn't on Mars, either." He rumbled softly. "Even when I could have because we were among my kin."

"That's not the point Throttle," Vinnie replied. "You want me to give up on who I am? It's not going to happen, and you need to cope with that."

"No, but we both have to adapt a little to make this work." He sighed. "Is it that important to you to brag about your name?"

"No," Vinnie admitted, "Not really. I didn't even think about it, what it would mean to you."

"I know." Throttle nuzzled him gently. "I'm not asking you to change everything, just a few little things so we don't push each other's buttons too hard."

Vinnie nodded, turning his head to press his face against Throttle's fur. "It's not you Throttle, you do know that right? If we could just go away somewhere on our own then it wouldn't be a problem. But They won't let us. You're some sort of big hero to them, and they'll never let me forget what you are."

"Shu, Bro." He gently stroked the white mouse's fur. "What do you think about living on Earth? The war will be over in a few months, then they won't need me anymore."

Vinnie smirked. "You just want to show of your new guy to Charley," he accused good-naturedly.

"Hell yes." Throttle smirked back. "She will be insufferably jealous, if she doesn't get to join in."

"Well, maybe for Charley-girl," Vinnie smirked.

"And we will make a Vinnie sandwich with you." Throttle rumbled lustfully.

"Gods but you're a horny bastard," Vinnie chuckled, a distinctly approving tone running through his voice.

"And you've been keeping up with me." He rumbled hotly, brushing a hand over Vinnie's groin.

"I never left anyone unsatisfied," the mouse insisted, though his cock was slow to respond to Throttle's touch.

"Oh, you don't." The tawny mouse kissed his neck gently. "Care to bathe, or play?"

"Bathe," Vinnie decided. "I guess I'll get used to cum inside me, but it'd like to get clean now."

"I've come to enjoy it." Throttle smiled softly and pulled out of his mate to roll to his feet and out of the small tent.

Vinnie followed somewhat more slowly, walking a little awkwardly. He caught Throttle's eyes and flashed him a glorious naughty-schoolboy grin that the tan mouse hadn't seen in far too long.

"Damn you are hot when you're trying to play innocent." Throttle murmured low in his throat as he followed his mate to the pool.

"No-one's innocent once they've slept with you," Vinnie chuckled.

"As I said, trying to play it." He chuckled, running a hand how the white back.

"Am I always going to have trouble walking after?" The white mouse asked as they stepped into the water. "I don't remember you hobbling around like an idiot."

"You'll get used to it," Throttle promised gently.

"Sounds like a lot of things at the moment."

"It is," he leaned over to kiss his mate on the cheek. "There will be fewer as we go."

Vinnie wrapped his arms around his lover and drew him down as he sank to his knees, letting the water soak his fur. "It's hard."

Throttle nodded and nuzzled him as he drew his mate close. "I've thrown a lot at you at once, and I'm sorry for that love."

"Sometimes I wish we'd started fucking ages ago," Vinnie said softly, holding Throttle close. "It would've made all that wandering around a lot easier. But then, this other thing, I think I would have gone berserk if I'd been sleeping with you and you hadn't told me."

Throttle nodded against his mate's neck. "I wouldn't have, knowing what I did about you. I was saving that for if I ever had to kill you."

Vinnie couldn't hide his startled response, though he relaxed reasonably quickly. "Woulda worked," he admitted as Throttle stroke his back.

"I know," he murmured softly. "I still don't understand how we can love each other, with what we are."

"Because I love you, not what you are. Hell, I hate what you are, but we've been through to much. When I look at you all I see is Throttle, and that's what counts."

"And I see my Bro, who's stood by me and saved my hide and backed me even when it wasn't a good idea." Throttle murmured. "And do my damndest to forget your last name and what I saw you do all those years ago."

"You saw?" Another shock. "I didn't know that."

"We all did, the entire Endless Storm." Throttle nodded, stroking Vinnie's cheek. "We watched our Alpha make one last try for peace before the Plutarkians came and stripped the area bare like the others, and we followed her orders and watched her die for her dream, leaving a killer in charge of the pack."

"Shit," Vinnie swore softly. It seemed like the most appropriate thing to say.

"And now the last of both bloodlines share a bed."

"You black..." Vinnie cut himself off. "Your people think about that sort of thing too much. I've always said you think too much."

"And I never disagreed." He nodded against Vinnie's neck as his hands stroked the tense white back. "I do."

Vinnie gently disengaged himself from Throttle and ducked under the water, his fur soaked when he broke the surface again. "We're gonna be all right bro. I know it."

"Because we're not going to accept anything else." Throttle grinned. "Mind if I help you clean up?"

"There are a few places I'll have trouble reaching," Vinnie admitted with a smile.

"Well, I'll just have to see to them," Throttle slipped behind his mate to kiss his way from neck to ass along his spine.

Vinnie closed his eyes and let Throttle do his work, letting the sensations of the water and his lover wash over him.

* * *

"Is Modo still our Bro?" Throttle asked quietly, staring at the sky as they basked in the tropic sun.

"Modo? Of course. I mean, yeah, of course."

Throttle smiled slightly. "He's been worried about us, not knowing how we're doing out here."

"Yeah, I guess he would," Vinnie nodded. "He doesn't have to though, we're doing okay."

"Yes, we are." He murmured. "Do you want to see him, before we go back to the real world?"

Vinnie sighed and lay back on the grass. "I guess I should. Less chance of doing something stupid."

"You're really not okay with his choice," Throttle half asked, half stated.

"I'm really not okay with his ..." Vinnie trailed off, trying to put words around it. "With the skinshifter."

"He thinks you hate him, not just Thildon." Throttle murmured softly. "He only sort of believed me, when I said we were all still Bros."

"It was a shock, you know? Seeing them like that. With those eyes and his tail wrapped around my bro. I didn't know what I was gonna do."

"I know." Throttle sighed. "I was damn surprised too, just in a different way."

"Yeah, I'll bet."

"Oh?" He raised a curious eyebrow at the white mouse.

"Well, I can't see you'd be thinking the same things I was."

"No, I was just surprised he'd taken one so young." Throttle shook his head and looked back up at the white clouds.

Vinnie didn't answer, lifting one arm to shield his eyes against the sun as he looked up into the sky.

"I'll invite him to come by next time I pick up supplies." Throttle said. "In a couple days."

"Sure," Vinnie nodded. "That'd be good."

* * *

* * *

"Hay Bro." Throttle grinned and hugged the big mouse firmly.

"How's it goin' Bro?" Modo asked with a smile, as he hugged the tawny mouse close.

"Better, I think." Throttle said as they parted. "He's game to see you."

Modo nodded. "Probably an improvement."

"He's still got a problem with your mate, but he's trying." He smiled slightly. "Managed to not say blackeye."

"Step in the right direction." Modo granted.

"Same with his reasoning," Throttle said softly. "Figures he's less likely to do something stupid if it's just the three of us at first."

"Hopefully." Modo nodded. "Sounds like an improvement."

"So come by, about midmorning?"

"Think he'll be up by then?" Modo smirked.

Throttle grinned deviously. "Oh, he will be. Though if you hear his howling, hang back until we get back from the pool. He might just die of embarrassment."

"I'll try to remember that." Modo grinned. "As tempting as it might be to do otherwise."

"Just don't let yourself be _seen_." Throttle laughed.

"I think I can manage that." He smirked. "More interested in you when it comes down to it, Bro." He said softly.

Throttle looked at him with a mixture of sadness and curiosity. "That's going to take some work on him too." He said softly. "He's not particularly accepting of sharing, not even himself."

"No hurry, Bro." Modo smiled softly. "I'd been planning to say something, and then we got separated. Didn't want that to happen again."

"Glad you did." Throttle moved close and slipped his tail around Modo's waist. "I've missed sleeping with my pack." He admitted softly.

"Me too." Modo said quietly, as he slipped his tail around Throttle's waist. "On both counts."

Throttle hesitated a second before stretching up to kiss Modo softly on the mouth. "He'll come to his senses, Bro."

"I hope so, Bro." Modo said before bending his head to return the kiss gently.

"It's not an option. He's going to." Throttle said stubbornly. "I'm not loosing him after everything we've been through."

"For your sake, I hope so Bro." Modo said gently. "I just have a little more trouble believing myself."

"Believing the plan is my job, Bro." He chuckled softly. "You just have to believe in me."

"That I can do, Bro." Modo said sincerely, reaching up his flesh hand to brush along Throttle's cheek gently, feeling the shift that would have closed the tawny mouse's eyes, if he still had eyelids.

"Good," he said softly. "At least there's some progress. Not sure if he'll ever be very comfortable around our families, but he's coming along."

"It's more than I would've thought possible." Modo smiled softly.

"Love can do amazing things, Bro." Throttle chuckled deep in his chest. "He's not the only one who's doing the impossible with this."

"Staying in love with him despite what he's done, can't be easy." Modo nodded.

"That's the easy part," Throttle shook his head ruefully. "Not crushing his throat when he says something ignorant is the hard part."

"Yeah, and Vin's prone to saying just what he thinks." Modo said understandingly.

"Bright idea or not." He sighed against dark gray fur. "Though he's learning. Finally got it through his thick skull that bragging about his family name wasn't in his best interest."

"Well, that's certainly a good start." Modo said encouragingly, with his arms around Throttle.

"Yeah, I learned he listens better with his airway constricted." The tawny mouse sighed in frustration.

"Probably keeps him from running his smart-mouth." Modo said softly, and then sighed. "But I guess for a skullbuster this has to be pretty close to a nightmare situation."

"Only way it could be worse would be if I insisted on walking around in Lumari, if I could." He nodded. "I'm fairly sure I haven't left anything of his preconceptions unntrashed in the last few days."

"As harsh as it sounds, his preconceptions need trashed." Modo said softly. "Along with his prejudices and ignorant misconceptions."

"That too." Throttle nodded with a deep sigh. "There are days being Alpha sucks."

"Yeah I guess it would." Modo said quietly, rubbing the tawny mouse's back gently with his flesh hand. "You've got my support, you know that."

"Thanks, Bro." He murmured, relaxing with a pleasured sigh.

"No problem, Bro." Modo rumbled quietly, giving his leader a gentle kiss on the cheek. "After all we've been through together, it'd be a damn shame to throw it away 'cause of stuff that happened before we met."

"Yeah, it would." Throttle murmured softly.

* * *

* * *

"Time to move, Bro." Throttle nuzzled his mate earlier than usual the next morning.

"I thought this was supposed to be a holiday," Vinnie grumbled, his early morning resistance having become something of a game between the two of them. "You're no fun."

"Well, if you want to greet Modo naked and getting fucked, you're welcomed to sleep more." Throttle chuckled with real amusement.

"Modo's coming?" Vinnie's initial enthusiasm was quickly overshadowed. "Damnit, I'm not sure if I've even got clothes here. Apart from those trashed ones."

"You do, Bro." Throttle nuzzled him affectionately. "When haven't I taken care of you, Vin?"

Vinnie chuckled and closed his arms around his lover. "Never since we met."

"And that's not going to change." He closed a tight embrace around his mate and kissed him soundly. "You're my Bro, and I look out for you."

Vinnie grinned, tracing his fingers lightly over the hard muscles in Throttle's back. "We're more than that now, you know. I think maybe we have been for a while."

"You have been in my heart for a long time, Vinnie." He murmured softly with another kiss. The white mouse returned the kiss softly, almost lazily, enjoying the novelty of this gentle moment.

"Come on, let's bath and get dressed." Throttle smiled as his hands played across Vinnie's back. "We have till midmorning before Modo comes by."

"Yeah, sure. It's just Modo coming, right?"

"Yes, it's just Modo." Throttle nuzzled him gently.

Vinnie sighed and turned his face in against Throttle's neck. "I just don't think I could deal with that."

"That's why he's the only one coming." Throttle said gently as he stroked the hard white body. "He understands, at least enough."

Vinnie nodded, then smirked as he leaned in to kiss Throttle again. "Then we better get cleaned up. Don't sill want to be covered in last night's fun when he turns up."

"Or what we're more likely to be doing, if we don't get up." Throttle chuckled deeply, but made no effort to move as he returned the kiss passionately.

That thought was enough to make Vinnie the one that got up first, something that had only happened a handful of times in all the years they'd known each other.

"That's so not funny," he told his mate.

"But it is hot," Throttle rumbled as he followed the white mouse out of their camp.

"Getting walked in on is not hot bro," Vinnie replied, his tail snaking around Throttle's waist. "Believe me."

"Depends on who it is to me." Throttle smiled and returned the gesture. "But I'll keep that in mind, Bro."

"It's kinda weird," Vinnie said as they came up to the pool. "We've been searching for Modo for so long, and now he's just going to drop by."

"It'll get to feel normal," Throttle promised softly as he took in his mate's body as they bathed each other. "Same as having Charley back."

"I think she'll have a harder time getting used to us again than the other way around," the white mouse smirked.

"Not unless she's found a boyfriend while we've been gone." Throttle chuckled softly.

"That'd be fair, I guess. We both did."

"I wouldn't worry about it." Throttle smiled. "Things'll work out fine."

"Who said I was worried? I've already got an A-grade sexy hunk."

"Yes, you do." He murred and nuzzled his mate's neck as his hands cleaned white fur back to white.

"Gods but you're hot," Vinnie murmured as his hands moved over Throttle's muscled chest. "I can't believe I never realized before."

"It's hard to see what you aren't looking at." He murmured as his hands slipped down to Vinnie's ass.

"Yeah, I guess so," Vinnie murmured, his breath quickening as his hands found their way down into Throttle's groin.

"How do you want me, right now?" Throttle asked with a decided rumble of desire.

"Hands and knees," Vinnie replied, licking his lips. "Hard and fast before Modo gets here."

"Oh, yeah." The tawny mouse rumbled before shifting to kneel on the edge of the pool, looking back at his mate with undisguised lust. It was a feeling Vinnie returned in full, admiring the display Throttle made of himself for a few moments before taking up position behind him and sinking himself deep into the tan mouse.

* * *

"Come and eat, Bro!" Throttle called out as he and Vinnie were snacking on fruit in their camp.

"Morning, Throttle." Modo smiled broadly, as he entered the clearing. "Morning, Vinnie." He said still smiling, though it was a lot less certain.

Any doubt he might have had about his reception were dispelled as the white mouse looked up. A huge smile broke Vinnie's face and he clambered to his feet, crossing the short distance to Modo and gathering the mouse up in an enthusiastic hug. "Hey bro. It's good to see you at last."

Modo was just a trifle confused though he managed to hug the white mouse back. "Good to see you too, Bro."

"Come and eat," Vinnie said with a grin as he let go.

"Sure." Modo smiled, and joined them. "It's a good hour for brunch." He grinned teasingly.

"Probably the earliest we've ever eaten first meal." Throttle chuckled, handing his gray Bro a piece of fruit.

"Usually we just have lunch," Vinnie replied, sitting down next to Throttle. His tail wove itself loosely through the tan mouse's legs, while Throttle's found its way back around Vinnie's waist.

Modo chuckled between bites. "I'm not surprised. I've usually done my day's hunting by now." He grinned.

"You always were the morning mouse." Throttle smirked. "Unlike pretty boy here."

"Hey, on this world there aren't bad guys to fight, uprisings to stage, or weird-ass shadows trying to teach me the shape of the universe. I deserve to be able to sleep in."

Modo chuckled. "Vinnie, you slept later than everyone in the resistance too." He teased gently. "And the things you did to that poor alarm clock in Chicago." He smirked, shaking his head.

"I lost track of how many times poor Charley had to go get a new one for us." Throttle laughed in good humor.

"You'd think after the third or fourth she would have gotten the hint," Vinnie smirked, taking the good-natured teasing in the manner it was intended.

"After the third or fourth, she wasn't going to let you have the last word on the subject." Modo chuckled. "I thought the one bolted to the wall was a good effort though."

"I rather liked the one she hid inside the bunks better." Throttle smirked.

"No, I was better," Vinnie couldn't help himself. "Neither of them survived."

"Yeah, you sure showed those alarm clocks who was boss." Modo snickered.

"Damn right I did," the white mouse grinned. "As if there was ever any doubt."

"I don't know." Modo smirked. "That rubber one had you going for awhile, as it bounced around the room."

"I thought her experiment with the walking one was more fun." Throttle smirked. "The look on your face when it ran away from you was priceless."

"But I got them all in the end," Vinnie smirked.

"Oh, she wasn't out of alarm clocks when we got scattered." Modo chuckled.

"Or ideas." Throttle smirked. "She had a whole notebook worth left to test on you."

"I am not going through that if we go back there," Vinnie told him firmly. "No way."

"Well, stop beating up the alarm clock then." Modo chuckled.

"We won't be living under her roof if we go back." He chuckled and tapped the white mouse nose playfully. "You only have to convince _me_ to sleep in."

Vinnie chuckled softly, leaning against Throttle and nuzzling his neck gently. "I'm sure I could think of some way."

"I'm sure you'd enjoy it to." He smiled softly.

"Yeah, and?"

"You haven't won yet." Throttle smirked. "I still get you up without you sleeping any more."

Vinnie shrugged, though his smirk probably said more than words would have. "Whatever."

"I'll whatever you." Throttle growled playfully and pounced on his mate, knocking the white mouse to his back for a searing kiss. Vinnie wrapped his arm around the tan mouse, responding passionately for a few seconds, until he remembered that they weren't alone anymore.

"It's just a kiss handsome." Throttle rumbled and sought his mate's mouth again.

"Just a kiss to start with," Vinnie smirked. "I know you."

"You know yourself." Throttle smirked back, though his affection was obvious. "My pretty boy sexaholic."

"I'm not that bad," Vinnie replied, chuckling.

"Just close." Throttle smiled and leaned back in for another kiss.

Vinnie smirked as his brushed his lips against Throttle's, then rolled the both of them over so he was on top. "And you just hate it, don't you?"

"Well, I was hoping your reputation was for real." The tawny mouse smirked up. "And you could actually keep up with me."

Vinnie chuckled softly as he sat back up, offering Throttle a hand to do the same. "We'll give Modo the wrong impression going on like that."

It took a great deal of effort to remain still, and a smirk still quietly crossed the gray mouse's face.

"Nothing wrong about it." Throttle rumbled and pulled Vinnie down against him. "It's very right."

"Throttle," Vinnie leaned down and murmured in his mate's ear. "Enough already."

The tawny mouse nodded and let him go. "All right, Bro." He rolled up and settled to continue eating. "You can breathe again, Modo." He chuckled.

Modo chuckled and resumed eating. "And here I was hoping for a show. Knew I should gotten here an hour earlier." He smirked teasingly.

"Bro, no teasing the bashful mouse." Throttle warned teasingly.

"Nothing to see here," Vinnie confirmed stubbornly.

"Yeah, I missed show time." Modo chuckled.

"Which is something of a trick." Throttle rumbled with a grin.

"So I've heard." Modo smirked. "Clear back to the village. But I never would've figured you for the bashful sort, Bro." He grinned at the white mouse.

"Ah, he's not that loud." Throttle smirked. "Lusty, yes, but not that loud."

Vinnie snorted, his tail sliding around Throttle's waist as he settled back against his mate.

"Gods, it's good to be back together." Modo smiled happily, though deep down he wished Thildon was there so he had someone. He settled for leaning back against a nearby tree and watching the lovers.

"No kidding, Bro." Throttle smiled as he relaxed back with a slice of dried meat. "It's been too long."

"I always knew that we'd make though," Vinnie told them. "Always."

"I wasn't quite so sure, when I crashed here seven months ago." Modo admitted quietly.

"It's tough to search, without a ship." Throttle said gently.

"Though we used some decidedly odd ways of getting around from time to time," Vinnie smirked.

"I don't remember any of them being our idea, though." Throttle shook his head.

"So did I." Modo grinned. "I just couldn't find any of them on this planet. And the major power is run by a bunch of sickos."

"We noticed." Throttle muttered with a low rumble.

"Yeah," Vinnie agreed darkly. "Been there, done that."

"Only going back if we can level the place." Throttle added.

"I got lucky, I only had to hear about them." Modo shook his head. "They come close to making the fishfaces look downright moral."

"It'd be good to see them go at each other." Throttle rumbled dangerously.

"Screw that," Vinnie replied, "I'd rather see them both wiped out."

"Yes, but if they go at each other, they might wipe each other out, without anyone else getting hurt." Modo said with a predatory smile.

"You don't think that would be the net result of a war?" Throttle looked at him curiously.

Vinnie smirked and shook his head. "You think to much Throttle. Enough with the elaborate schemes and just blow the fuckers up."

"Vinnie, it's much easier to get the two into a war, than to just blow them up." Modo chuckled. "Unless you have a major spacefleet in your pocket."

"Yeah right," the white mouse challenged the gray. "Do you even know which way Plutark is from here?"

"I do." Throttle said simply between bites of his meat strip.

"That way, roughly." Modo said, pointing deliberately into the sky. That caught Vinnie by surprise. The white mouse didn't know what to say for a few moments, and then just settled for saying nothing.

"So which way is Mars, physically?" Throttle asked curiously.

Modo thought about it for a moment and pointed down and off to one side of the camp. "That way, more or less."

"Cool." The tawny mouse relaxed back, subtly stroking his mate's side with his tail.

"How come you couldn't do that Bro?" Vinnie asked the tan mouse. "We could've just gone home."

"I know where it was in the Starpath network, not by spaceship." He shrugged.

"Starpaths. Those bridge thingies?"

"Yes," Throttle nodded. "Just because you walk foreword to get there, doesn't mean your destination is that way."

"That doesn't make much sense Throttle."

"Neither do the Paths, most of the time." He shrugged. "But they work, and I know the network of them to anywhere they touch."

"Makes perfect sense if you take into account that it's magic not science." Modo said casually.

"Not exactly filling me with confidence over here."

"You don't have to use it, if you don't want to." Throttle shrugged. "It's just a hell of a lot faster than by ship."

"If you're going then I do have to."

"We could take a ship, Vinnie." Throttle said softly. "It's just safer by Path."

"We don't have a ship. The last one got kinda busted, remember?"

"It's not the only one out there, Bro." Throttle said simply. "Another can be gotten."

Vinnie shrugged, wrapping his tail diagonally across Throttle's chest. "Whatever."

"It won't be for a while, Bro." Throttle nuzzled his mate gently. "Don't worry about it."

Vinnie put his arms around the other mouse and held him close. "It doesn't bother me. Really." He said as the embrace was gently returned with a protective air.

"I'll never let you be hurt if I can help it, Bro." Throttle said gently into white fur. Vinnie just nodded, pressing his body close against Throttle's.


	13. Returning Home

"Vinnie," Throttle spoke softly over lunch. "Are you going to be able to handle going back?"

"Back where?" the white mouse asked, though the tip of his tail twitched where it rested against Throttle's thigh.

"To the village, then Mars." He said quietly.

"Can't we just stay here?" Vinnie asked plaintively. "I like it here."

"I do to, and we can't." He shook his head. "My presence is required now."

"Throttle I don't ... I'm not sure if I can ..." Vinnie made a short frustrated sound as he lapsed back into silence.

"I'm sorry," he sighed and dropped his head.

"Throttle ..." Vinnie's tail slid up to wrap around the tan mouse's waist, managing to say at least some of what Vinnie couldn't quite manage. "You know what it's like."

"Yes," he murmured. "But if we don't go back, I still have to."

"I can't stay here on my own," Vinnie came to the same conclusion Throttle had. "I suppose ... I suppose at least if we go back together you'll be around."

"Yes I will," he gently pulled the other mouse close. "And we can see Mars again."

Vinnie sank into his arms willingly, pressing his chest up against Throttle's own. "I know I couldn't cope if you weren't there."

"I'm not going anywhere without you, Bro." He said softly, stroking Vinnie's head as he held him. "We're going through this together."

"I still can't ... you and Modo." Vinnie's body trembled in his mate's arms. "I wish I'd never found out."

"I wish it could have worked out that way too," Throttle said softly. "Things never could be easy for us."

"You should have been so mad with me, after everything I've done."

"I've had years to deal with that," he sighed. "And an extremely stubborn reason to."

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry about your mother."

Throttle nodded, not trusting his voice at this point as he held his mate close. Vinnie never really cried, but the tremors running through his body would have been clear enough an indication in anyone else. It didn't take long for the bout to subside though, leaving the white mouse lying limp in Throttle's arms.

It was a quiet the tawny mouse was content to leave in place as he held his mate, and tried to deal with it all again himself.

* * *

Throttle stopped them before entering visible range of the village where this had started, though they could hear the activity already.

"Remember, Bro. They won't hurt you unless you attack first," he tipped his mate's face up for a gentle kiss. "We get this over with, and never have to think about it or the past again."

Vinnie didn't reply immediately, casting an apprehensive glance toward the small cluster of buildings. "Can't we just go back?" he asked softly. "They'll get along without you."

"I think they will too, but it's not an option." Throttle said softly. "A pack will come and get me if I don't go on my own."

Vinnie nodded slowly, taking a deep breath and a moment to try and compose himself before lifting his eyes again. He was still obviously apprehensive. It was unsetting for Throttle too, to see him this way. A quiet, withdrawn Vinnie seemed somehow at odds with the laws of the universe.

"It'll be all right, Bro." He repeated before guiding the white mouse into the bustling activity center that the village had become. Everywhere there were Garou, most in Mouse, but a fair number taking advantage of the strength of the Lumari and the speed and maneuverability of the Lupo as they ran errands and prepared for the move.

Vinnie's eyes fell down to the ground as his tail rose up to wrap tightly around his own waist. "Can we go somewhere?" he murmured, barely even loud enough for Throttle to hear. "Inside?"

Throttle nodded and quickly guided him to a hut, closing the flap behind them with his tail.

"We're alone, Bro."

"I can't do this," Vinnie said, his voice trembling as Throttle embraced him supportively. "They're everywhere."

"I know," he murmured gently. "If you don't stay at my side, you can stay with non-Garou allies until they let me go."

"No, NO!" The white mouse was beginning to panic. "Don't go!"

"Vinnie, Bro, calm down." Throttle ordered smoothly, his grip tightening around his mate. "We don't have to be apart," he said soothingly with a gentle nuzzle. "I was just offering you a way to avoid it all."

Vinnie's arms came around Throttle's body, gripping him desperately. "Throttle, please," he asked softly, burying his face against the other mouse's neck. "I'm scared." It was a magnificent understatement. He smelled terrified.

"I'll do anything I can to help." He promised softly, meaning every word as he supported the trembling mouse. "I'll protect you from anything and anyone, Vinnie."

"Just stay here. Just for a couple of minutes."

"I will," he promised softly with deadly determination back his words.

Slowly the white mouse came back from the edge of panic, though he still held his tight grip on his mate. His tail unspooled from around his waist and coiled around them both, and his face rested in the hollow between Throttle's shoulder and neck. For once, despite the physical closeness, there wasn't even a trace of arousal in Vinnie's scent.

"It'll be okay, Bro." Throttle murmured soothingly in his ear. "I won't let anyone hurt you."

"I just don't know Throttle," Vinnie murmured softly. "I don't know if I can do this."

"You can, Vinnie." He tipped the white mouse's face up. "I know you can. And I'll be right here every step of the way."

"How ... what do you have to do?"

"I have to go to Mars with the first units," he explained gently. "I have to lead them home. Really, that's about it."

"First units?" Vinnie shook his head slowly. "Throttle, the war's over by now. Well and truly over."

"Oh, I know it is," he nuzzled his mate gently. "But it's an army that's going, even if they're no one to fight."

The white mouse shakes his head again, but doesn't speak for a little while. "So ... this is it then? We're finally going back?"

"Yes, this is it," Throttle smiled softly. "We're going back to Mars."

"Home. At last."

"Yes, home," he smiled and pressed his muzzle against his mate's neck. "We're going home, and no one will kick us off this time."

"All right. All right." He paused, trying to gather the confidence together. "What do we do?"

"I need to talk with the organizers and a couple others, and find out where in the first unit we'll be riding." He said gently. "Then we meet up with Modo and ride out."

"Modo, damn." Vinnie shook his head slowly. "I guess I should talk with him."

"It would be a good thing," he nodded seriously.

"Well, uhh, maybe we can do that while you figure stuff out."

"If you don't want to sit through boring meetings with me," Throttle nuzzled him gently. "It would be a good use of the time."

"I don't ..." He breaks off and shakes his head. "I couldn't. There's no way."

"As long as you'll be okay staying with Modo," he murmured, tipping his mate's face up. "I do have to go to the meetings."

"I think I can manage," Vinnie nodded. "Modo's my Bro."

"Good," he pulled Vinnie tightly against his chest and wrapped his tail protectively around them both. "We are the Biker Mice from Mars. _Nothing_ is going to brake us apart." Throttle voice was throaty in his need to make that real.

"I love you Throttle," Vinnie murmured softly, holding the other mouse close as the statement sunk in.

"Ah, Bro," he murmured, nuzzling him tenderly before kissing him very gently. "I love you Vinnie." He said softly, meeting the white mouse's eyes through his shades.

"I know," Vinnie murmured softly, "I know."

"Come on, let's lie down for a little while," he smiled softly, urging his mate towards the large hammock. "They can wait a little while."

Vinnie nodded, and let himself be led without any trouble at all. He pressed his body close against his mate's as they settled, and welcomed it when Throttle drew him even closer.

* * *

"Hay, Bro!" Throttle's voice was a cheerful as he let Vinnie to the hut Modo and Thildon made home.

"Throttle!" Modo shouted back happily, as he grabbed the tan mouse in his arms joyfully. "Decided to come out of the wilderness, huh?" He smiled warmly. "Heya, Vinnie." He said with a warm smile for unusually quiet white mouse.

"Yeah, well, they were getting a bit persistent about it," Throttle grinned and hugged him back. Vinnie just nodded, his tail coiled back around his waist as he hovered awkwardly near the door.

Modo looked over at Vinnie. "What's the problem, Vinnie? It's just the three of us here." He asked confused at his Bro's standoffishness.

"Nothing," the mouse said quickly, stepping forward. "It's fine."

"I hope so." Modo smiled, putting a hand on Vinnie's shoulder. "We're still the Biker Mice, nothing changes that, Bro." He said stubbornly, having convinced himself of that with some difficulty during the preceding weeks.

"Nothing," Throttle rumbled determinedly, putting a firm hand on Vinnie shoulder. "I'll be back as soon as I can, Bro."

Vinnie nodded, taking a moment to wrap an arm around the tan mouse and draw him close, reassuring himself.

"It'll be okay, Bro." Throttle nuzzled him gently before gently pulling away to leave.

Vinnie's eyes followed Throttle as he tail vanished out of the door, sthen turned back towards Modo. It was an awkward moment. Excepting a few hours the two of them hadn't seen each other in years.

"I'm ... kinda hungry," Vinnie ventured uncertainly.

"Food's not a bad idea." Modo smiled. "Have a seat anywhere, while I get something for us." He said, grateful to have something to do to break the awkwardness of standing around.

The white mouse seemed a somewhat more relaxed when Modo returned, although that may just have had to do with the fact he was sitting comfortably, rather than standing awkwardly by the door. Even so he looked to be a little less tense, a little less withdrawn.

"Here you go, Vin." Modo smiled and handed him one of the two plates he was carrying. There was a selection of meat, fruit and bread arranged on it. The gray mouse poured a purple fruit juice into two mugs and handed one of them over. "It's not root beer, but it's still pretty good." He said with a smile, as he sat down.

"Root beer," Vinnie said with a smile. "Damn, it seems like forever since I tasted any."

"Me too, Bro." Modo chuckled. "Or a good movie, or even a bad one for that matter."

"Oh, I've been a few places that had those. Usually weird-ass things, but still movies, kinda."

"Don't remember the last place I hit that qualified." Modo chuckled. "Hit a fair number of low tech places like here. Well maybe mostly low-tech would be more accurate." He smiled. "I'd pretty much settled in nicely here actually."

"Yeah." Vinnie developed a serious interest in his food. "I noticed."

"It'll be good to see Mars again." Modo smiled softly. "Though the person I was really worried about is here now. You probably remember Rimfire, right?"

"Uhhhh, yeah ... that kid. He's your nephew, isn't he?"

"Yeah, that's him. Bit bigger than you remember, guess he hit a growth spurt a few years back." Modo chuckled fondly. "Kids. Take your eyes off them and they go and grow up on you."

"I wouldn't know," Vinnie shrugged. "I was never really interested."

"I promised Mama I'd look after him. Hasn't been the easiest thing to do." He smiled softly. "But it's worth it. I'm just glad he and Thil are getting on so well."

"Yeah, well, I guess it's a good thing." Vinnie tried one of the fruits and recovered some more of his typical humor. "At least the food's good."

"Aside from the lack of root beer and hot dogs, yeah it is." Modo smiled. "There's something distinctly satisfying about hunting your own food."

"Always preferred a nice simple barbeque myself."

"Well, that can be fun too." Modo smiled.

"Hell of a lot easier too."

"When you just stop by the supermarket and pick up supplies, sure." Modo chuckled. "I haven't seen anything like that in probably two years."

"Most worlds have places where you can go to get food," Vinnie replied, still focusing mostly on his plate. "S'one of those universal things."

"Must be my luck then." Modo smirked. "On one world food meant these multicolored shapes with the consistency of stale marshmallows, and half the taste."

"Never been there," Vinnie said, shaking his head.

"It's a big universe." Modo smiled. "I'd be surprised if we'd overlapped at all. Nothing short of incredible that you and Throttle ended up here." He said with a warm smile.

Vinnie shook his head, making a face. "We hooked up a couple of worlds back, actually. Coming here sucked."

"It got the three of us back together." Modo said quietly. "Like we're supposed to be." He said, though he wasn't as sure of that as he'd been years ago, or even six months ago.

"And now we're going home, apparently," Vinnie continued, although the prospect didn't fill him with the same sort of enthusiasm as it had used to.

"That's what I'm told." Modo nodded. "It'll be good to get home, and then get to Earth and see Charlie."

"Damn," Vinnie murmured softly. "I hadn't even thought about that, it's been so long."

"I think about her every so often." Modo smiled fondly. "Her and Jeremy."

"Yeah. It'd be nice to go back and visit."

"Once we get back to Mars, it won't be hard." Modo smiled reassuringly.

"I guess it won't be, either."

"Getting back to Mars, no it won't." Modo nodded. "They've had groups through all ready. That's how Rimfire got here. I was worried, and asked them to find him for me."

"What's it like?" Vinnie asked hesitantly. They'd been gone for so long, almost anything could have happened to their home during that absence.

"Hasn't changed much, according Rimfire." Modo said quietly. "Planet's a big place to hide what few survivors there are. Fishfaces don't put much effort into it, they've taken what they wanted pretty much. Rimfire says thinks have gotten tougher on Earth, with more Plutarkian attention there. But I guess Charlie's really keeping Limburger hopping in Chicago. Earth's in better shape to resist them. They don't have the two primary factions actively trying to exterminate each other."

Vinnie didn't reply to that, returning his attention to the remains of his meal.

"So, see any place cool before you got here?" Modo asked, trying to break the silence before it settled. The funny thing was he really didn't blame either side more than the other for the conflict. Both sides were to blame, both sides had done some pretty atrocious things. The humans had a good saying that described why Mars fell, he thought, a house divided against itself can not stand.

"Yeah, a few," he nodded. "After all the deserts and wastelands and stuff you can forget what a world can be like."

"No kidding." Modo smiled. "First time I hit a world that was entirely frozen, it was quite a shock. I mean snow everywhere, but they did have some great skiing." He chuckled quietly. "Of course they also had a thirty hour day, talk about screwing with your internal clock."

"Yeah tell me about it, it'd be nice to be able to just stop somewhere and know that the days are going to be the right length. Although I never complained about planets with longer nights."

"I'll be not." Modo chuckled. "You would've hated the place with the rotating double suns. Once everything worked out, there was only about six hours of night per twenty-eight hour day."

Vinnie made a face. "Ugh, you've got to be kidding."

"'Fraid not." Modo chuckled. "There are three months of the year where they don't have night at all."

"Well that sucks," Vinnie snorted, as forthright in his opinions as ever.

"Yeah, it made sleeping really weird." Modo chuckled.

"I would have gone nuts," the white mouse muttered. "That's just not funny."

"It is after six months of being stranded there." Modo grinned. "You either laugh at it or go nuts."

"I'm glad I never had that problem."

"You were lucky."

"Yeah. For a while, anyway."

"Well, we're back together and we'll be going home soon. Things are getting back to the way they should be." He smiled comfortably.

"Yeah. I guess so."

* * *

* * *

"Ready to see the new Mars?" Throttle nuzzled his white mate gently to wake him up.

"No," Vinnie murmured softly, "But that's never stopped us before."

"No, it hasn't," he sighed and pulled him close, trying to comfort one of the last Mice alive. "It will all be over soon, Bro, and you won't have to see any of them again."

"Yeah," Vinnie murmured softly, his tail curling up and around the both of them as Throttle hugged him tightly.

"Well be with Charley and no more Garou," he added with a tight squeeze. "Just hold out a little longer, and we can put this all behind us."

"Charley-girl," Vinnie said, a weak grin coming to his face. "And we'll be able to get real hotdogs again."

"And root beer, and movies, and kicking Plutarkian tail."

"Nah. They'll all have been kicked down by now."

Throttle cocked his head and tipped Vinnie's chin up so they were looking at each other, playing his fingers along the soft white fur as they moved. "Would you like to stop fighting, or find a new war?"

"Another war?" The question clearly surprised him. "Why in fuck would you want to do all that again?"

"I don't," he relaxed a tension neither realized he was carrying and kissed Vinnie with a chaste tenderness. "We just never talked about what came after the war, I want it to be something you'd want too. Some ... I've met those who just want another fight."

"I fought because I didn't want to die," Vinnie replied, speaking softly and leaning in more closely. "After that all I wanted to do was find you again. It's not our responsibility any more, we can do whatever we want."

"Good," he murmured, relaxing and holding him tightly. "I'd like to go back to Earth, stay with Charley and you. Enjoy a world that is thriving and relatively calm."

"Sounds good to me. I don't think I'm going to want to stay on Mars."

"I know I don't," Throttle sighed. "For all it was home, it's not going to be any more when this is done. It'll be good to see Charley again, and stay with her."

"At least for a little while," Vinnie nodded. "We can rest for a while. Think about what we want to do with ourselves."

"We've got an entire universe to play in, Bro." Throttle smiled and nuzzled him with a hug. "I'm sure there'll be something that presents itself worth doing."

Vinnie turned his head and pressed his lips softly against his mate's, a chaste gentleness that was returned without demand. "I just wanna rest for a while. It's all been too much."

"I can _so_ go with that, Bro." Throttle smiled at him. "And the sooner we go to Mars, the sooner we can go home and just rest without having to keep an eye open."

Throttle could all but feel the other mouse working himself up to stepping out the door. This room had become Vinnie's sanctuary, the only place in the village he could go and be relatively free of the other inhabitants. Leaving it was hard, and not something Throttle asked for lightly, or hurriedly. He patiently waited and supported his mate while he gathered himself for the trip.

There was silence for some time while Vinnie worked himself up to facing the outside.

"Well, I guess we better get it over with," the white mouse sighed softly.

"And then get away from this all." Throttle kissed him on the neck and hugged him tightly before guiding Vinnie outside with an encouraging touch. "Just one short ride and we're gone."

Vinnie nodded, but didn't say anything as they stepped through the curtained door into a remarkably empty scene. Of the hundreds of Garou that should have been around, the only people visible were Modo, Thildon and two cyberbikes. The other mated pair were already mounted on their sleek purple bike, and Thildon was making a polite point of not looking directly at Vinnie as they nodded greetings.

"One last ride, in Biker Mice style," Throttle smiled at Vinnie before swinging his leg over the flame red bike and slipped back to let Vinnie sit in front, "and we are out of here."

Vinnie laughed softly, surprised by the gesture, and mounted up in front of Throttle. His tail reached back to wrap around his mate's waist, drawing him closer, even as Throttle wrapped his tail and both arms around the white Mouse and settled in, content to let Vinnie drive on this trip.

"Just roll through the light, and stay on the silver path," he told Vinnie quietly with a soft nuzzle to his neck. "Ride fast, and it won't be more than a long day there."

"Right," Vinnie nodded, revving the engine hard before letting the bike race forward and through the glimmering circle of light. A moment of blindness game way to a glimmering either-world of space and a shinning path of light the width of a two lane road.

* * *

"Mars ahead." Throttle rumbled with an eager to be over with it edge in his voice. "Take the red portal, Bro."

Vinnie nodded curtly. He'd spent the entire tip with his eyes fixed on the road, avoiding looking up at the surroundings, though Throttle never let him think he was alone in the long, otherwise lonely ride. He kept his eyes focused on where they were going, letting the disorientation of the portal wash over him with barely a blink.

The shocked gasp next to his ear drew Vinnie's attention back, towards his mate instead of the vista before him. Even with his eyes hidden by green shade, Throttle's stunned shock was obvious on his face.

"Well," Vinnie said softly. "We're back."

"Damn," the tawny Mouse whispered with a painful lump in his throat as he took in the spread of glittering blue water and lush greens covering the red dirt of their homeworld. "It really isn't anything like our Mars."

"Mars hasn't looked like this since ... hell, it may never have looked like this," Vinnie replied, his voice hushed. "Most of earth isn't this green."

"Not in a dozen generations at least, I don't think." Throttle swallowed with difficulty. His attention was suddenly diverted by a presence nearby. "I'm going to say goodbye to my mother." He nuzzled his mate gently. "I'll only be a few minutes."

"Don't worry," Vinnie replied and got a quick kiss as Throttle dismounted and walked a distance away. "I'm not going anywhere."

He continued to watch the strange mutation of the once familiar place, slowly realizing that this had once been a major rebel encampment they'd spent months at a shot at. As his brain worked on that, and giving Throttle a little privacy for his goodbye, he couldn't help but catch a few words, the hushed voice of his mate and mate's mother, then the crackle of power and startled moaning cry from Throttle.

"Throttle?" Vinnie called, glancing over to see his mate enveloped in a swirling crackle of ghostly energy. "You okay?" Despite the first glance, Vinnie had seen enough of Throttle in pain to realize this wasn't it.

It was a long moment before the visible energy dissipated, leaving Throttle shaken but apparently uninjured. He made a sharp shake of his head and walked over to Modo and Thildon, who'd remained silently watching the new world unfold before them and tipped his shades down. After exchanging a few words, he returned to his mate and sank gratefully behind Vinnie on the cycle.

"Ready to crash with Charley, Bro?" Throttle asked softly, his voice still a little off but definitely himself.

"Are you all right?" Vinnie asked softly.

"Yeah," he nodded, still a little shaky. "She gave me an apology gift for all the crap she put me though. My eyes back."

The white mouse twisted around to look his mate in the face. "Really?"

"Yes," he nodded slightly, and slowly reached up to remove his shades. As his mate watched, natural, crystal blue eyes were revealed. Even as Throttle folded his shades with his fingers, his eyes never left Vinnie's face. "Look okay?" He asked, not quite sure of himself.

A huge grin broke across Vinnie's face, the white mouse just looking into his mate's new eyes for long seconds before leaning closer to kiss him softly, an action that was returned with an obvious breath of relief and a tight hug.

"Perfect." Vinnie grinned at him as they parted.

"Good," he smiled, shaky from the released tension and claimed another kiss as he dropped the green shades to the dusty red ground. "Let's leave this behind us, then. I want to get you somewhere nice and private," Throttle winked with a playful grin. "Even if I do have to challenge Charley for it."

"Nahh," Vinnie replied with a grin as he settled himself again and started the bike up. "She's got nothing on you Bro."

"Are you still interested in her, though?" He asked softly. "I don't mind, you know."

The white mouse thought about it before answering. "I dunno. It's been so long, and I've gotten awfully fond of that ass of yours."

"It's not a one or the other pretty-boy," he cocked a grin as a red and blue-green portal opened nearby. "I'm love to have a semi-permanent threesome with you, you know."

"We'll see. Let's just get out of here."

"No argument there, Bro," Throttle hugged him tightly. "Through the portal and stay on the road. "It'll drop us off near her."

Vinnie revved the engine loudly, casting one last look around the transformed landscape before sending them both plunging into the light.


End file.
